Frances Bean Cobain, the 19-year-old daughter of Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, described her mom as unstable and an unrepentant drug addict in court papers filed to get a restraining order in 2009.
I know, right! I was surprised too!
?(Love) has taken drugs for as long as I can remember,? Cobain said. ?She basically exists on Xanax, Adderall, Sonata and Abilify, sugar and cigarettes. She rarely eats ? She often falls asleep in her bed while she is smoking, and I am constantly worried that she will start a fire (which she has done at least three times) that will threaten our lives.?
And the restraining order wasn?t just for Frances; it also applied to her pets, because ?Love?s wreckless behavior caused the death the family dog and cat.?
?The cat died after getting entangled in Love?s messy piles of ?Etsy fabrics, boxes of paperwork, trash and other possessions,? (and) the dog swallowed several of Love?s stash of prescription pills.?
Yes. That?s exactly how I pictured life for a child being raised by Courtney Love. Frances would have been better off living in that cave at the beginning of ?Raiders of the Lost Ark?.
???? Ovarian cancer is one of the common female genital cancers, the incidence rate is after the cervical cancer and uterine body cancer. But those, who died of ovarian cancer, account for the top of all types of gynecologic cancer, which is a serious threat to the life of women. The causes of ovarian cancer are not clear, the incidence may be related to age, birth, blood type, psychological factors and the environment and so on. Because ovarian embryonic development, tissue anatomy and endocrine function is more complex, it may be a benign tumor or malignant tumor. Because there is no significant symptoms of ovarian carcinoma in early clinic, it is different to identify the type and properties of ovarian cancer. Most have spread to the uterus bilateral attachment, omentum and pelvic organs, therefore, ovarian cancer is indeed a major problem in the diagnosis and treatment. For many years, experts have been exploring ovarian cancer pathology, and clinical treatment programs, and accumulated wealthy experience. So far, five-year survival rate of ovarian cancer is about 25% to 30%. Ovarian cancer is a relatively common disease, approximately 1.4% of women will suffer from this disease. But if found early, 90% of patients can survive; found too late, the cancer spread to the ovaries, the survival rate would less than 30%.
???? Cisplatin is considered as a well established platinum drug used to treat various cancers, including ovarian cancer. However, Patients treated with cisplatin often produce resistance to the treatment, and higher doses cisplatin will exert side effects such as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity in patients. STAT3 has been found to overexpress in various tumors, including ovarian tumors, and the overexpression is reported to be positively associated with cisplatin resistance, thus it represents an attractive target for intervention. ???? 3,3?-Diindolylmethane (DIM) from cruciferous vegetables shows the chemopreventive and therapeutic properties with non-toxic to normal cells, and exhibits antiproliferative properties in ovarian cancer cells. In the recent paper, Kandala et al. report the mechanism of DIM action in ovarian cancer cells. The results show that DIM induces apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells, and inhibits STAT3 pathway in ovarian cancer cells, as well as the expression of Mcl-1 and survivin. In addition, DIM inhibits nuclear translocation of STAT3, DNA binding activity and transcriptional activity of STAT3. Besides, inhibition of STAT3 abrogates DIM-induced apoptosis, while IL-6-induced STAT3 activation significantly blocks DIM-induced apoptosis. Further study demonstrates that combination treatment of DIM and cisplatin abolishes the STAT3 phosphorylation and reduces the expression of STAT3, which lead to the inhibiton of ovarian tumor growth[1]. ???? In summary, DIM can target STAT3 to suppress the growth of ovarian tumor cells, and potentiate the effect of cisplatin on the treatment of the ovarian tumor. angiogenesis inhibitors, apoptosis inhibitors, kinase inhibitor References [1]. BMC Medicine 2012, 10:9 doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-9
Related Post EGFR and Jak-Stat3, potential targets against cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer
The Dow Chemical Co. is feeling the impact of the slowing European economy, and seeing some weakness in North America as well.
And the nation's largest chemical maker doesn't expect to see much improvement in overall demand until the second quarter. That's when it believes stronger economies in the United States and emerging countries will offset continued weakness in Europe, which is embroiled in a crippling debt crisis.
Dow said Thursday that it posted a loss of 2 cents per share in the fourth quarter as a one-time charge resulted in higher taxes at its Brazilian operations.
Excluding charges, Dow earned 25 cents per share. But that fell short of analysts' expectations.
Price hikes helped revenue increase 2 percent to $14.1 billion. But overall volume was down 3 percent, or flat excluding businesses that Dow has sold off. The company said demand slipped as customers in North America, Europe and other regions worked through existing inventory instead of replenishing their stockpiles.
Volumes declined in Western Europe and the United States which, combined, make up about 70 percent of the company's overall sales. That was offset by stronger sales in China, the Asia Pacific region and Latin America.
Andrew N. Liveris, chairman and CEO, said they saw global economic "deterioration" in the period, with "considerable weakness" in Western Europe. Europe, which is embroiled in a debt crisis, accounts for a quarter of the company's sales.
Dow Chemical's performance can offer insight into the strength of the global economy because it sells such a wide range of products used in everything from televisions and toys to automobiles and agriculture producers.
The Midland, Mich., company's quarterly loss totaled $20 million. That compares with a year-ago profit of $426 million, or 37 cents per share.
Analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit, excluding items, of 31 cents per share on revenue of $14.18 billion.
Sales in the company's largest segment, performance plastics, fell 6 percent to $3.7 billion. That unit makes plastics for use in everything from artificial turf to diapers and food packaging.
Revenue was flat or improved in all other segments, with the biggest jump ? 14 percent ? in feedstocks, or the raw materials used in some industrial production and energy products.
For the year, the company earned $2.4 billion, or $2.05 per share, up 22 percent from its 2010 profit of $1.97 billion, or $1.72 per share. Revenue rose 12 percent to $59.99 billion.
Dow said that while it expects its business to strengthen in the U.S., it's less optimistic about conditions in Europe. The company believes higher volumes in North America, China and the Asia Pacific region will make up for the weakness in Europe.
"We do not anticipate material improvements in market conditions for the first quarter of the year, but do project economic recovery will gain momentum as we move through the second quarter and the remainder of the year," Liveris said in a statement.
Liveris told analysts during a conference call that management expects growth to come from within the company and not through new acquisitions.
Dow's performance was similar to that of other specialty chemical manufacturers, which saw softer fourth-quarter demand. Most expect the first quarter to be weak, with better volumes and results beginning in the second quarter.
Argus Research analyst Bill Selesky said the "wild card" is Europe, where talks continue to drag on about how to resolve debt issues in countries like Greece, Spain and Italy, and jump-start economic growth.
Shares of the Dow fell 49 cents to $33.45 in midday trading.
According to Apple, the iMessage bug we posted yesterday isn't really a bug. It's a rare incident caused by an employee's over eagerness to help a customer. More »
Yesterday, we shared with you two examples of small businesses who have found online success through the ingenious use of social media tools. Today, we are back with more inspiring stories, still courtesy of the Social Media Examiner. Make sure your social media agency gets a chance to read this!
1. Coconut Bliss. Coconut Bliss is an organic dessert company specializing in ice cream. Yum! This small business heavily and effectively utilizes photos to create a fun and likeable social brand. Of course, in their case, they feature photos of customers eating and enjoying their dessert items. Another tactic that they use is promotions. Recently, they partnered with VegNews to give away a special prize while utilizing the wider reach of VegNews. So, what can you and your social media agencylearn from this organic dessert makers from Oregon? First, take compelling photos (especially if it is relevant to your business). For this, you might need to invest in quality photo equipment. Next, make sure to integrate photos in all the social media platforms that you are using. And third, take advantage of contests and partnerships to grow your fan base and spread the word about your business.
2. JamaicansMusic. This online music channel has quite a social media success story. They were able to get 1.5 million new fans in just four months! The look and feel of their website is very social and this kind of strategy works for them. Of course, JamaicansMusic gives away free music, games and other valuable resources. And they also have lots of contests. This gives their fans more reasons to come back to their page and bring their friends along. What can you and your social media agency take away from this online music breakthrough? For starters, give your followers more reasons to come back to you. How do you do that? Free valuable content never fails. Next, make sure that there are opportunities to connect socially on your site so it?s easier for your followers to bring their friends along.
3. EasyLunchboxes. Founded by super mom Kelly Lester, EasyLunchboxes is a huge success because of smart social practices and social branding. Like JamaicansMusic, there are several ways to connect socially on her site and her blog has a clean and compelling look that suits her kind of business. Kelly also maximizes her Facebook welcome tab by letting her visitors know what they can expect from her page. She provides unique content on her different social media channels and integrates them with each other. On her YouTube account, she created her own TV series, which draws on her acting background. How can you and your social media agency mimic the success of Kelly and her lunch business? One: take advantage of your Facebook?s welcome tab. This is where they decide if they want to ?like? your page so make the first impression count. Next, make sure to have different social strategies for each social platform. Think outside the box! You and your social media agency can tap into special talents to attract more fans and followers. Finally, invest time and effort into planning and executing your social branding because more often than not, you only get one shot at putting yourself out there.
We hope you learned something from these social media success stories. Got your own success story? Share it with us!
After the sad news of Steve Jones' departure from The X Factor, TheInsider.com has learned the not-so-bad news that Nicole Scherzinger will be joining him.
Steve Jones Out as X Factor Host
FOX confirmed to us that Nicole will not be returning to the show next season.
The news is hardly a surprise after the downright outrage over Nicole's indecision last season which caused Rachel Crow to be sent home, and left the teenager in tears, but it is still unclear whether her departure was forced or voluntary.
Boston University researchers develop novel drug delivery systemPublic release date: 31-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael Seele mseele@bu.edu 617-353-9766 Boston University College of Engineering
BOSTON (1-31-12) -- Long duration, controllable drug delivery is of wide interest to medical researchers and clinicians, particularly those seeking to improve treatment for patients with chronic pain or to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery. Now a team of researchers led by Boston University Biomedical Engineer and Chemist Mark Grinstaff has developed a unique material and drug delivery mechanism that could pave the way for implants that release a drug at a designated rate for months.
The system consists of a biocompatible, highly porous, three-dimensional polymer material containing a selected drug and a volume of air that slows infiltration from surrounding water. As water seeps into the material, it displaces the air, gradually releasing the drug.
"The idea was to create a 3D material that has polymer fibers throughout and air trapped within," said Grinstaff, who developed the material in conjunction with BU biomedical engineering PhD student Stefan Yohe and Dr. Yolanda Colson, a Brigham and Women's Hospital thoracic surgeon and lung cancer specialist. "If we can slow the penetration of water into the structure, it will slow the release of the drug."
To prevent water from flooding the structure and causing an immediate release of the drug, Grinstaff and his colleagues designed the air-filled, mesh-like material to be "superhydrophobic"so water-resistant that droplets of water barely touch the surface, forming beads similar to those that appear on a freshly waxed car. They produced the porous polymer mesh using a process called electrospinning, which overlays micron-sized fibers upon one another.
To control the rate of drug release, they adjusted chemical and physical properties of the material so that the entrapped air is loosely or tightly held. The more tightly held the air is within the structure, the harder it is for water to displace it, the slower the release, and the longer the treatment duration.
Loaded with a widely used anti-cancer drug called SN-38 in in vitro experiments, the polymer mesh and internal air pocket proved to be robust and effective against lung cancer cells in solution for more than 60 days, indicating its suitability for long-term drug delivery. Grinstaff and his collaborators next plan to conduct a series of in vivo experiments to evaluate the system's efficiency and potential clinical effectivenessa critical preliminary step before initiating clinical trials.
Supported by the National Institutes of Health, The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, the Center for Integration of Medicine & Innovative Technology and Boston University, this research was originally sparked by the Grinstaff group's ongoing investigation of potential therapies for recurring lung cancer, and interest in the use of new materials and procedures to deliver drugs over the course of months.
"Many researchers are advancing new drug delivery systems, and several others are designing superhydrophobic materials, but we're combining these disciplines to see if we can open up new doors and enable more effective treatments for a wide range of diseases," said Grinstaff.
The researchers detailed their novel drug delivery system in the January 16 online edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
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Boston University researchers develop novel drug delivery systemPublic release date: 31-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael Seele mseele@bu.edu 617-353-9766 Boston University College of Engineering
BOSTON (1-31-12) -- Long duration, controllable drug delivery is of wide interest to medical researchers and clinicians, particularly those seeking to improve treatment for patients with chronic pain or to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery. Now a team of researchers led by Boston University Biomedical Engineer and Chemist Mark Grinstaff has developed a unique material and drug delivery mechanism that could pave the way for implants that release a drug at a designated rate for months.
The system consists of a biocompatible, highly porous, three-dimensional polymer material containing a selected drug and a volume of air that slows infiltration from surrounding water. As water seeps into the material, it displaces the air, gradually releasing the drug.
"The idea was to create a 3D material that has polymer fibers throughout and air trapped within," said Grinstaff, who developed the material in conjunction with BU biomedical engineering PhD student Stefan Yohe and Dr. Yolanda Colson, a Brigham and Women's Hospital thoracic surgeon and lung cancer specialist. "If we can slow the penetration of water into the structure, it will slow the release of the drug."
To prevent water from flooding the structure and causing an immediate release of the drug, Grinstaff and his colleagues designed the air-filled, mesh-like material to be "superhydrophobic"so water-resistant that droplets of water barely touch the surface, forming beads similar to those that appear on a freshly waxed car. They produced the porous polymer mesh using a process called electrospinning, which overlays micron-sized fibers upon one another.
To control the rate of drug release, they adjusted chemical and physical properties of the material so that the entrapped air is loosely or tightly held. The more tightly held the air is within the structure, the harder it is for water to displace it, the slower the release, and the longer the treatment duration.
Loaded with a widely used anti-cancer drug called SN-38 in in vitro experiments, the polymer mesh and internal air pocket proved to be robust and effective against lung cancer cells in solution for more than 60 days, indicating its suitability for long-term drug delivery. Grinstaff and his collaborators next plan to conduct a series of in vivo experiments to evaluate the system's efficiency and potential clinical effectivenessa critical preliminary step before initiating clinical trials.
Supported by the National Institutes of Health, The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, the Center for Integration of Medicine & Innovative Technology and Boston University, this research was originally sparked by the Grinstaff group's ongoing investigation of potential therapies for recurring lung cancer, and interest in the use of new materials and procedures to deliver drugs over the course of months.
"Many researchers are advancing new drug delivery systems, and several others are designing superhydrophobic materials, but we're combining these disciplines to see if we can open up new doors and enable more effective treatments for a wide range of diseases," said Grinstaff.
The researchers detailed their novel drug delivery system in the January 16 online edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
###
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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Public release date: 31-Jan-2012
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