Nationalization of ... elite?

They have HO CHANCE to succeed! Just another portion of propaganda!

 

Masterpiece of the day. Pu vs Ob

mAb's cardiotoxicity: why? And who cares?

This study shows that Trastuzumab (Herceptin) raises risk of heart failure.

The risk of either heart failure or cardiomyopathy was highest in those women who received either trastuzumab alone or in combination with anthracycline. Women given trastuzumab alone had a four-fold increased risk of heart failure or cardiomyopathy compared to those who received no chemotherapy (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] of 4.12). Those who were treated with a combination with anthracycline had a seven-fold higher risk of cardiomyopathy or heart failure (adjusted HR of 7.19).

And look: the same sh...t was with another mAb - Avastin! I would like to ask the question once again: how in the world “targeted” monoclonal antibody as Herceptin could be cardiotoxic? Why it is cardiotoxic?  

The mechanism of action of this mAb is following:

Trastuzumab (INN; trade name Herceptin) is a monoclonal antibody that interferes with the HER2/neu receptor. Its main use is to treat certain breast cancers.

The HER receptors are proteins that are embedded in the cell membrane and communicate molecular signals from outside the cell to inside the cell, and turn genes on and off. The HER proteins regulate cell growth, survival, adhesion, migration, and differentiation—functions that are amplified or weakened in cancer cells. In some cancers, notably some breast cancers, HER2 is over-expressed, and causes breast cells to reproduce uncontrollably.

Antibodies are molecules from the immune system that bind selectively to different proteins. Trastuzumab is an antibody that binds selectively to the HER2 protein. When it binds to defective HER2 proteins, the HER2 protein no longer causes cells in the breast to reproduce uncontrollably. This increases the survival of people with cancer. However, cancers usually develop resistance to trastuzumab.

The key words here are “Trastuzumab is an antibody that binds selectively to the HER2 protein”. Something is disconnected in this scheme. I would guess that the cardiotoxicity comes from non-selectivity of binding – there are thousands of thousands other different receptors which can be affected by this mAb. Or HER2 protein inhibition by itself is responsible for the toxicity. Who knows? Who cares? The medicine is blockbuster – and this is of the greatest importance!

Masterpiece of the day. Eltsin vs Stalin

Junk paradigm?

Bits of Mystery DNA, Far From ‘Junk,’ Play Crucial Role. (See also here). This is very shocking news for the modern paradigm. It should be I suppose. The modern oversimplified paradigm is based on gene-protein-function relationship – everything else is not very important. To knock-out a gene or to inhibit enzyme – the only important issue. Too simple to be understood by investors, patients and journalists out there. Clever people said that it is not, let’s say, correct. But the paradigm is still in arsenal of Big Pharma. And here we have another shot:

For decades, scientists thought that most of our genetic code was essentially useless — basically filler between our genes. Only a tiny fraction — the part that has genes in it — really mattered, according to this thinking.

So the most amazing thing that we found was that we can ascribe some kind of biochemical activity to 80 percent of the genome. And this really kind of debunks the idea that there's a lot of junk DNA or really if there is any DNA that we would really call junk," NHGRI's Feingold said.

What has been called junk DNA is actually teeming with an intricate web of molecular switches that play crucial roles in regulating genes. The ENCODE project scientists found at least 4 million of these regulatory regions so far.

These switches rev genes up. Calm them down. They orchestrate how the whole complex system works. Scientists have already started to figure out which switches control which genes. And that's uncovered even more surprises. Genes can get instructions from up to dozens of switches. And some of the switches are nowhere near the genes they control.

"Most of the human genome is out there mainly to control the genes," said John Stamatoyannopoulis, a geneticist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who also participated in the project.

The findings help explain why so many studies have found genetic mutations that appear to be associated with diseases in places where no genes reside. It turns out, these areas contain the molecular switches that, when damaged, are behind the diseases.

"The whole way that we look at the genetic basis of disease is going to change. And it's going to change from this model from trying to look at particular this gene or that gene etc to trying to look at genes operating as a system or a network," Stamatoyannopoulis said.

Do you know what? Scientists cannot take control over individual genes, how in the world they will be planning to get riddle of genes systems and genes networks???  Well, just wish them a success J

A.I.Fursov. Rudolf Hess

Clinton: the information war was declared?!

Very poor... The question: who is agressor? I know that Pereslegin has the answer!

Masterpiece of the day. Without gas...

He likes to fly...

Sometimes people are very envious. Just read the article about TEVA:

There is nothing like compensation and perks to irritate shareholders. Consider Phillip Frost, who is chairman of Teva Pharmaceuticals and is scheduled to receive a 75 percent increase in salary, which would jump to $900,000 annually, as well as another $700,000 for using his private jet. But there is more, Globes reports shareholders are also being asked to approve an additional $298,000, which would bring his travel expenses in 2011 to $1 million.

The increases are part of a move to boost director salaries by an average of $76,000 a year, to $190,000, plus another $500 for every board meeting, which would actually be unchanged from previous years. The general shareholder meeting is scheduled for next week, but Platinum Investment Portfolio Management ceo Gabi Haber sent a letter to Teva directors, arguing they should not raise their salaries or approve Frost’s travel expenses by his private jet, Globes writes.

I think that there is nothing wrong with loving to fly. Not just to fly but do it with your own jet! Just the only idea to use your own jet is extremely sexy! Just to have a possibility to answer to the question of your girlfriend “What are you going to do tomorrow?” – “Well, I guess I will make a swing with my jetto to Teva’s  board meeting, then I’ll call you…” Is it not awfully business-macho-style-sexy? I think I can understand Mr Gabi Haber. And for those who are very envious and criticize him – just look at the picture and compare his modest demands with other CEOs!

A.I.Fursov. War 1812