Drug policy in China: pharmaceutical distribution in rural areas

In 1978, China decided to reform its economy and since then has gradually opened up to the world. The economy has grown rapidly at an average of 9.8% per year from 1978 to 1994. Medical expenditure, especially for drugs, has grown even more rapidly. The increase in medical expenditure can be attributed to changing disease patterns, a higher proportion of older people in the population and fee-for-service incentives for hospitals. Due to the changing economic system and higher cost of health care, the Chinese government has reformed its health care system, including its health and drug policy. The drug policy reform has led to more comprehensive policy elements, including registration, production, distribution, utilization and administration. As a part of drug policy reform, the drug distribution network has also been changed, from a centrally controlled supply system (push system) to a market-oriented demand system (pull system). Hospitals can now purchase drugs directly from drug companies, factories and retailers, leading to increased price competition. Patients have easier access to drugs as more drugs are available on the market. At the same time, this has also entailed negative effects. The old drug administrative system is not suitable for the new drug distribution network. It is easy for people to get drugs on the market and this can lead to overuse and misuse. Marketing factors have influenced drug distribution so strongly that there is a risk of fake or low quality drugs being distributed. The government has taken some measures to fight these negative effects. This paper describes the drug policy reform in China, particularly the distribution of drugs to health care facilities.     

Evaluation of the purity of a purified, inactivated hepatitis A vaccine (VAQTA).

Manufacture of VAQTA, an inactivated hepatitis A virus vaccine, includes extensive purification of the intact virus particle to remove endogenous components from the host cell culture lysate as well as compounds introduced in the upstream purification process. Analysis of the final purified hepatitis A virus product by SDS-PAGE prior to inactivation shows that greater than 95% of the protein in the preparation is found in four protein bands, which have been confirmed to be hepatitis A virus capsid proteins VP0, VP1, VP2 and VP3 based on Western blot and mass spectrometry analyses. Validation of the manufacturing process and direct analysis of the final product were used to demonstrate that no other specific host cell-derived components are detected and that process residuals are all below the limits of detection of the assays used. Establishment of a rigorous standard of high purity for this product was pursued to minimize the impact of impurities during clinical development of this product and will facilitate the incorporation of this product into combination vaccines.     

上海粘土的成拱能力探讨

针对用于上海污水外排的黄浦江底隧道工程,通过土工离心模拟试验,探讨了上海粘土的成拱能力.对于无支护的情况,开挖双孔隧道时,洞底以上约8 m厚的灰色砂质粉土或粘土中不能形成稳定的天然拱.进一步研究表明,该层土所需的成拱厚度至少为12 m;对于有混凝土管支护的情况,由于支护刚度较大,管顶上土压力基本上等于管顶以上土层的自重应力.     

Cytotoxicity of urushiols isolated from sap of Korean lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera stokes)

Cytotoxicities of four urushiols, congeners isolated from the sap of Korean lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera Stokes), to 29 human cancer cell lines originated from 9 organs were evaluated. Their values of 50% growth inhibition were below 4 microg/ml, and showed cell line specific cytotoxicity. The present result is the first report on the cytotoxicity of urushiols suggesting that they would have an anticancer activity to human cancer cells.     

Prognostic relevance of detection of ligands for vertebrate galectins and a Lewis(Y)-specific monoclonal antibody

Tissue sections taken from 157 potentially curatively operated lung carcinoma patients (70 epidermoid carcinomas, 68 adenocarcinomas, 15 large cell anaplastic, and 4 small cell anaplastic carcinomas) were examined by a standardized histochemical protocol in a prospective study evaluating the extent of various types of probes to serve as prognostic indicators in lung cancer. Detailed clinical records and survival data (minimum 56 weeks, maximum 96 weeks) were correlated to the results of the histochemical reactions. The study centres on monitoring the expression of galactoside-containing epitopes in tumor cells by human, animal and plant lectins: and with a monoclonal antibody. In addition, affinity-purified subfractions of natural antibodies from human serum with preferential affinity to alpha- and beta-galactosides, respectively, were employed. Significant contributions to the estimation of the survival of patients are given by clinical parameters (pT, pN stage), number of resected and positive lymph nodes and presence of tumor metastases into specific lymph nodes (No. 5 and No. 6 right and left). With respect to the relevance of subsets of beta-galactosides, the galectin from chicken liver (CL-16) and the Le(y)-specific monoclonal antibody unveiled a negative correlation at a statistically significant level. The predictive value of binding of the animal lectin CL-16 was especially pronounced for patients with advanced tumor stages, pointing to a potential role of such lectin-reactive beta-galactosides in late tumor stages or progression.     

Effects of eating an uncooked vegetable diet for 1 week

Biochemical and metabolic indicators were monitored in a group of volunteers suffering from a variety of chronic illnesses participating in a week's course on a special uncooked vegetable diet, known as "living food". Unmatched healthy controls ate the same diet cooked for 2 min in a microwave oven. After 1 week on the regimen, serum protein and urea contents decreased and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) activity increased in both groups, although all within the normal range. Blood glucose increased in both groups to slightly above normal limits but total serum cholesterol dropped about 1 mmol/l from normal starting levels. Serum tocopherol and retinol increased only in the group eating the uncooked diet. In both groups urinary sodium dropped drastically without a significant change in potassium. Serum and urinary phenol and p-cresol diminished also significantly. It is concluded that this vegetable diet may be of some benefit in the short term but any longer-term use requires evaluation.     

抗除草剂海洋微藻的生长和积累EPA的特性

在群体水平上研究了海产野生型眼点拟微球藻(Nannochloropsis oculata)及其抗除草剂Sandoz9785的细胞培养物在生长和脂肪酸组成方面的特性。结果表明,野生型藻株对Sandoz 9785较为敏感,除草剂用量为50μmol·L~(-1)时其生长的被抑制率为75％。在除草剂抑制作用下,野生型细胞的总脂肪酸含量显著下降,而EPA含量显著提高。在160μmol·L~(-1)和320μmol·L~(-1)Sandoz 9785浓度下,筛选到抗除草剂的细胞培养物R160和R320,其平均比生长速率与野生型没有显著差异,细胞的总脂肪酸、16;0、16:1ω9、18:0和18:1ω9的含量都低于野生型藻株,但20:5ω3(EPA)含量则高于野生型。R160在无除草剂的培养基中EPA含量最高,可占细胞干重的3.51％,比野生型提高了30％,但与野生型差异不显著。并讨论了抗性培养物抗Sandoz 9785和积累 EPA的机理。     

利培酮与氯丙嗪治疗精神分裂症对心电图的影响

目的 :了解和比较利培酮与氯丙嗪对心电图的影响。方法 :对服用利培酮及氯丙嗪的精神分裂症患者分别定期心电图检查 ,时间为服药后 2、4周。结果 :利培酮组和氯丙嗪组出现异常分别为 11.5 %和 4 2 .5 % ,两者有显著性差异 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :利培酮对心电图影响明显低于氯丙嗪。     

Study of neurological mechanism of lidocaine's suppression to tinnitus via microdialysis]

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the neurological mechanism of lidocaine's suppression to tinnitus. METHODS: Thirty-four Wistar rats weighing 300-350 grams were randomly divided into IC group (n = 17) and AC group (n = 17), according to microdialysis region. Each group was randomly subdivided into saline treatment group (n = 4), salicylate treatment group (n = 6), and salicylate + lidocaine treatment group (n = 7). Using in vivo microdialysis technique coupled with microbore HPLC-electrochemical detection, the present study first monitored the 5-HT release in IC and AC in salicylate-induced tinnitus animal models, and then, examined the effects of lidocaine on salicylate-induced 5-HT changes in IC and AC. The statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA for repeated measures of raw data with time and treatment condition as main effects. Individual time-point values between no more than two groups were compared with the unpaired Student's t-test. The accepted level of significance was 0.05, two-tailed. RESULTS: The 5-HT level increased to a maximum of 268% +/- 27% (mean +/- s) basal level in IC 2 h after salicylate application and of 277% +/- 24% basal level in AC around 3 h after application. And then, the 5-HT level gradually decreased to 157% +/- 16% of baseline in IC and 180% +/- 18% of baseline in AC by the end of the sixth hour. Saline did not alter the IC and AC dialysate 5-HT level in control rats. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures indicated a significant effect of the condition factor [F (1, 8) = 413.949, P < 0.000001 in IC group; F(1,8) = 192.184, P < 0.000001 in AC group]. The increases of 5-HT levels in salicylate treatment groups were significantly reduced to 85% +/- 8% basal level in IC and 92% +/- 26% basal level in AC after local infusion of 1% lidocaine (P < 0.05). Compared with corresponding control value at that time (unpaired student t-test). Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures showed a significant difference between the salicylate group and salicylate + lidocaine group [P < 0.000001 with F(1, 11) = 329.267 for the condition factor in IC subgroup; P < 0.000001 with F(1, 11) = 133.844 for the condition factor in AC subgroup]. CONCLUSION: The suppression of lidocaine to tinnitus may be associated with the decrease of 5-HT level in IC and AC.     

钙离子拮抗剂治疗阿尔茨海默氏病的现状

目的：介绍钙离子(Ca2 )拮抗剂治疗阿尔茨海默氏病(AD)的机制和研究进展。方法：查阅近年来国内外相关献。结果：应用Ca2 拮抗剂(如尼莫地平等)治疗AD，可促进受伤神经的再生和感觉运动功能的恢复，并有较好的临床疗效。结论：Ca2 自体平衡失调学说为AD发病机制中的重要组成，应用Ca2 拮抗剂治疗AD具有良好的前景。