The United States is the first country that has introduced legislation designed to stimulate orphan drug research and development .In this paper , we analyze three major amendments of the Orphan Drug Act ( ODA) since 1983 and its incentive system .We then discuss the success of the ODA in encouraging orphan drug research and development and boosting the biopharmaceutical industry .Following that , we investigate the high price of orphan drugs caused by market exclusivity and drug repositioning .Finally, we draw experience from the ODA to make some suggestions on how orphan drug legislation can be devised in China with the aim of improving the health of rare -dis-ease patients and facilitating the development of Chinese biopharmaceutical industry .

Objective To investigate the relationship between cerebrovascular accident and abnormal electrocardiogram. Methods The ECG abnormalities and clinical data of 314 patients with cerebrovascular accident were analyzed. Results 56.7% patients developed arrhythmia. Among them, the morbility of arrhythmia in patients with cerebral hemorrhage was higher than that of cerebral infarction ( P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of recombinant human growth hormone on serum lipid in aged male patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODSEighty seven patients with chronic heart failure(> or = 60 years old) were randomly divided into 2 groups: the CHF control group (n = 46) who received regular therapy and the CHF experimental group (n = 41) who received regular therapy and recombinant human growth hormone. The treatment would be continued for 3 months. Another group was normal control group (n = 10). The detection of serum growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was carried out before and after treatment in the participants.

RESULTSBefore treatment, the levels of GH and IGF-1 were not significantly different among groups. After treatment, the levels of GH (0.71 +/- 0.34 vs 0.96 +/- 0.48) and IGF-1 (95.64 +/- 21.11 vs 111.64 +/- 23.14)in CHF experimental group were higher than those before the treatment. In CHF control group, the levels of GH(0.81 +/- 0.32 vs 0.79 +/- 0.29) and IGF-1 (97.82 +/- 19.74 vs 99.65 +/- 20.11) had no significant change after the treatment. After treatment, the levels of GH (0.96 +/- 0.48 vs 0.79 +/- 0.29) and IGF-1 (111.64 +/- 23.14 vs 99.65 +/- 20.11) in CHF experimental group were higher compared with that of CHF control group. Before treatment, the serum levels of LDL-C, HDL-C, TC and TG had no significant difference among groups. After treatment,the levels of LDL-C (2.11 +/- 0.82 vs 1.76 +/- 0.51) and TC (3.78 +/- 1.34 vs 3.21 +/- 1.17) in CHF experimental group were lower than those before the treatment. However, the levels of HDL-C (1.10 +/- 0.31 vs 0.99 +/- 0.28)and TG (1. 89 +/- 1.07 vs 1.66 +/- 0.95) had no significant change after the treatment compared with before treatment. In CHF control group, the serum lipid levels had no significant change after the treatment.

CONCLUSIONAs the treatment of rhGH for aged male patients with chronic heart failure, GH influences lipid metabolism, which reduces the level of LDL-C, TC. However GH has no effects on the serum HDL-C and TG level. With the treatment of rhGH for long-term, lipid metabolism should be paid attention,and the treatment for blood lipid reduction should be adjusted in time.

Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Heart Failure ; blood ; therapy ; Human Growth Hormone ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the clinical features and therapy of fournier's gangrene.Methods The clinical data of 12 patients with fournier's gangrene who were treated at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from January 2010 to February 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.Eleven patients had perianal abscess and 1 patient had perianal foreign body,most of the patients were presented with perianal pain,fever (＞ 38.5 ℃) and tachycardia.The mean interval between the onset of symptoms and admission to the hospital was 8 days (range,3-20 dyas).Seven patients were complicated with diabetes.Only 2 patients were administered hypoglycemic agents,but the effects were poor.Six patients were complicated with hypertension.One patient had the history of resection of sigmoid colon cancer 2 months before operation.Debridement and drainage were applied to all the patients after examination.Antimicrobial therapy applied to all the patients according to the results of drug sensitivity test.The incisions were washed by hydrogen peroxide solution postoperatively.Redebridement was applied if the disease was progressed.All patients were followed up via out-patient examination and phone call till June 2012.Results Results of clinical features:Perianal tissues necrotized,with the color of black.The scrotum or labia majora of 8 patients were invaded by the necrotic tissues.Results of laboratory test:the white blood cell count was (3.8-27.6) × 109/L,the white blood cell count of 6 patients was above 10 × 109/L,3 was above 20 × 109/L.The ratio of neutrophil granulocytes was 0.61-0.93.Four patients received single debridement,5 received redebridement,and 3 patients received debridement for more than 2 times.Two patients had sapremia and infectious shock,and they received treatment for 3 days and 4 days at the intensive care unit.Results of bacterial culture:6 patients were infected by the escherichia coli,4 by klebsiella pnenmoniae,and 1 by pseudomonas aeruginosa.The mean duration of hospital stay was (25± 14)days (range,1-49 days).All patients were followed up for 4-29 months,1 patient was discharged at postoperative day 2,and the prognosis of the 11 patients was good,no mortality was observed.Conclusions The clinical features of fournier's gangrene include severe pain and rapid spread of infections caused by necrosis of perianal subcutaneous tissues.Diabetes might be the risk factor of fournier's gangrene.Early diagnosis and prompt and aggressive surgical debridement are critical for improving survival.

Cardiovascular System ; Pharmacogenetics

Endomyocardial Fibrosis ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Myocardium ; pathology

In this paper a new type of cerebral circulation is introduced, including the basic principal, parameter algorithms and equipment design. The analyzer is developed on the basis of previous cerebral circulation analyzer and combined with the latest development of hemodynamics. It has the advantages of previous analyzer and overcomes its shortcomings frequently encountered in clinical that unable to finish the analysis without detection of all the intracranial vessels. It provides new functional module and adds indices such as hydraulic power, carotidshear stress, comprehensive index etc. This analyzer can be used for cerebral circulation dynamic analysis and auxiliary diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases.
Algorithms ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; diagnosis ; Equipment Design ; Hemodynamics ; Humans

Objective:Hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) speculated to be an endothelial-specific growth factor which protects or repaire the vascular endothelial cells. To test the serum HGF level might be elevated in response to hypertension-induced endothelial cell damage, we measured serum HGF concentrations in normotensive and hypertensive subjects without liver, kidney and other complications.Methods:Eighteen male hypertensive patients and thirteen male normotensive subjects were recruited. All antihypertensive agents were stopped for 2 weeks before the study. The serum HGF concentrations were measured by a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results:Serum HGF concentrations were 0.32±0.13 ng/ml in normotensive subjects and 0.37±0.27 ng/ml in hypertensive patients. No significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05) was found. Systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressure did not show any correlation with serum HGF concentrations.Conclusions:This study showed that serum HGF levels did not be increased in male patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Although local HGF is produced rapidly because of the damage of endothelial cells by high blood pressure, the circulating level of HGF did not represent the local changes of HGF production.

Objective To study the relationship between urinary laminin(LN) and diabetic nephropathy.Methods Using the method for concentrating urinary laminin based on precipitation with PEG-4 000 and γ-globulin.The concentration of LN in the urine of 83 diabetics was measured by RIA.The concentration of micro-albumin and Ccr in the urine and the levels of plasma glucose and HbA1c were also measured.Results The choice of 150g/L of PEG-4 000 and 0.5 g/L of γ-globulin was the best method for concentrating urinary LN.The urinary LN in all groups was significantly higher than that in control group.Conclusion Urinary LN is an indicator in the diagnosis of the early diabetic nephropathy.

Objective: To explore cognitive dysfunction in patients wi th schizophrenia Methods: 21 first onset patients with schizophr e niform disorder and 26 patients with chronic schizophrenia were studied with Wis consin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Semantic Fluency Test, Association Learning, Co mprehension, Similarity and Digit Span Test 22 normal controls also received t h ese tests Results: Both patients' groups did worse on above te st s than normal control The first onset patients were impaired cognitively as th e chronic schizophrenics in all tests except for Association Learning No correl a tion was found between result of WCST and other neuropsychological tests Conclusion: Schizophrenic patients are cognitively impaired early in t he course of psychosis