Journal articles on the topic 'Drugs Prescribing China Hong Kong'

Objective Drug abuse is an escalating problem in Hong Kong, especially among teenagers and young adults. A study was conducted in order to obtain the characteristics of drug abusers presenting to the Accident & Emergency department of North District Hospital, which is located in the New Territories near the Hong Kong – Shenzhen border. Design Prospective study. Setting Accident and Emergency department of a public general hospital. Patients Drug abusers presenting to the Accident and Emergency department in a six-month period. Main outcome measures Epidemiological data including demographic data, types of drug taken, place of drug abuse and magnitude of cross-border drug abuse were collected and analyzed. Results The sex distribution was male 59 and female 13 (ratio=4.5:1). The mean age was 29.2 (range 14 to 67 years). Of interest, 29.2% abused drugs at home; 29.2% abused drugs in parties such as karaoke, rave and disco; 68% abused drugs in Hong Kong; 32% abused drugs in China and 6.9% claimed themselves first-time drug abusers. The commonest drug taken was ecstasy (40.3%) – the majority (55%) in China and the rest (45%) in Hong Kong. For organic solvent abusers, 57.1% were below 18 years of age. One patient died, resulting in a mortality rate of 1.4%. Conclusion Ecstasy was the commonest drug abused on both sides of the “border”. The majority of substance abusers were teenagers or young adult males. This study confirmed the significant magnitude of psychotropic substance abuse problem among the young population in the North District, indicating the urgent need for clinical and social intervention.

This paper utilizes existing statistics on adolescent suicide to examine adolescent suicide trends and patterns in Hong Kong for the period 1980 to 2003. Several trends and patterns could be revealed from the analyses. First, there was a gradual rising trend where adolescent suicide rates in the 1990's and the early 2000's were higher than those in the 1980's. Second, suicide rates for adolescents aged 10-24 years were lower than those of other adult age groups. Third, although adolescent suicide rates in Hong Kong were lower than those reported in some English-speaking countries and Mainland China, the figures were higher than those reported in Taiwan. Fourth, suicide rates among teenagers in early adolescence were lower than those among adolescents in late adolescence. Fifth, although male adolescent suicide rates were in general higher than female adolescent suicide rates (10-24 age group), gender differences in suicide rates appeared to be moderated by age. Sixth, there was a gradual rising trend in adolescent proportional mortality rates for suicide since the 1990's. Seventh, proportional mortality rates for suicide among teenagers in early adolescence were lower than those among adolescents in late adolescence. Finally, although jumping from a height was a common method of adolescent suicide, there was a rising trend of using other methods, such as taking drugs, hanging and charcoal burning. The observed adolescent suicide phenomena are discussed in this study with reference to the socio-cultural context of Hong Kong.

ABSTRACTBackground: This study examined the use of low doses of antipsychotic medications (300 mg/day CPZeq or less) in older Asian patients with schizophrenia and its demographic and clinical correlates.Methods: Information on hospitalized patients with schizophrenia, aged 55 years or older, was extracted from the database of the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns (REAP) study (2001–2009). Data on 1,452 patients in eight Asian countries and territories including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, India, and Malaysia were analyzed. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and antipsychotic prescriptions were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure.Results: The prescription frequency for low doses of antipsychotic medications was 40.9% in the pooled sample. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the whole sample showed that patients on low doses of antipsychotic medications were more likely to be female, have an older age, a shorter length of illness, and less positive symptoms. Of patients in the six countries and territories that participated in all the surveys between 2001 and 2009, those in Japan were less likely to receive low doses of antipsychotics.Conclusion: Low doses of antipsychotic medications were only applied in less than half of older Asian patients with schizophrenia.

Commercial Chinese herbal tea is the development of the populace in tropical and subtropical China consequential to their fight against infectious diseases and in their struggle to explore local plants to relieve fever, to alleviate pain, to restore strength and to modulate immunity against viral epidemics. From these ethnomedical experiences, two types of herbal teas were commercialized, namely, liangcha and medicated teas. Liangcha refers to a ready-made decoction infused from wild plants served in simple stores in cities and towns. Medicated teas are parcelled material prepared from crude drugs with or without tea (Camellia sinensis [L.] O. Ktze,), sold in colorful boxes and bags to people for use at home. Investigations of liangcha were made in Hong Kong and Macao, and studies of medicated teas were done from samples obtained in Chinese stores at Boston. A total of 127 source species of these herbal teas were identified and arranged in two alphabetical lists by the botanical names, each followed by an English common name in parenthesis, part used, frequency in samples, and family. External recognizing characters of medicated teas, discussions of problems encountered in identifying source species, relevant toxicities, and potential new vegetal pharmaceutical resources are given.

Influenza virus A/Hong Kong/1774/99, isolated from a young child with mild influenza, was shown to be similar in its antigenic and genetic characteristics to H3N2 viruses circulating in pigs in Europe during the 1990s and in particular to be closely related to viruses isolated from two children in the Netherlands in 1993. Similar viruses had previously not been identified outside Europe. Although there is little evidence as to how the child contracted the infection, it appears likely that pigs in southern China were the source of infection. Characteristics shared with the European swine viruses include resistance to the anti-influenza drugs amantadine and rimantadine. Thus not only does this incident once again highlight the potential of pigs as a source of novel human influenza viruses, but also indicates the potential for emergence of amantadine-resistant human viruses.

Summary Whether or not at-risk youth eschew illicit drugs because of its expected harm remains uncertain. In theory, expectancy is influential when the harm is valuable to the youth. Hence, to examine this possibility, this study employed a prospective design to collect data from 169 at-risk youths identified by social workers in Hong Kong, China. Findings Results revealed that when a youth has higher expectancy and valuation of harm in the baseline survey, he/she had considerably more drug-free days in the follow-up survey. However, neither the expectancy nor valuation alone introduced an effect on drug-free days. Applications These results sustained approaches to fostering the expectancy and valuation of harm for effective drug rehabilitation. Specifically, the approaches required to raise the expectancy of youth on the harm of drug abuse to their vigour and the value of sustaining their vigour simultaneously.

Background: COVID-19 has become one of the most serious global epidemics in the 21st Century. This study aims to explore the distribution of research capabilities of countries, institutions, and researchers, and the hotspots and frontiers of coronavirus research in the past two decades. In it, references for funding support of urgent projects and international cooperation among research institutions are provided. Method: the Web of Science core collection database was used to retrieve the documents related to coronavirus published from 2003 to 2020. Citespace.5.6.R2, VOSviewer1.6.12, and Excel 2016 were used for bibliometric analysis. Results: 11,036 documents were retrieved, of which China and the United States have contributed the most coronavirus studies, Hong Kong University being the top contributor. Regarding journals, the Journal of Virology has contributed the most, while in terms of researchers, Yuen Kwok Yung has made the most contributions. The proportion of documents published by international cooperation has been rising for decades. Vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 are under development, and clinical trials of several drugs are ongoing. Conclusions: international cooperation is an important way to accelerate research progress and achieve success. Developing corresponding vaccines and drugs are the current hotspots and research directions.

Abstract There has been a resurgence of the H7N9 bird-flu virus in China since last winter, resulting in over 460 human infections—the largest number since the first outbreak in 2013—raising serious concerns about its further spread and the effectiveness of existing anti-viral drugs. This is just the latest example of the increasing threat from emerging infectious diseases. Due to a combination of factors related to farming practices, human behaviour, international travel, globalization and climate change, there has been a succession of such pandemics in recent years, such as Severe Acute Respiration Syndrome (SARS), Nipah, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola and Zika, posing an unprecedented challenge to scientists and health workers worldwide. In a forum organized by National Science Review at the World Life Science Conference last November, an international panel of scientists discussed the lessons that have learned from a string of pandemics in recent years, the importance of international collaboration and sharing research benefits more equitably, why there is an urgent need to move towards the one-health approach, and how China could play a leading role in the global effort to combat infectious diseases. Gregory Gray Duke University, USA; Duke Kunshan University, China; Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore Linfa Wang Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore Peter Horby Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, UK Fujie Zhang Capital Medical University, Beijing Titan Hospital, China Malik Peiris University of Hong Kong, China George Fu Gao Deputy Director General of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Influenza is one of the most common infectious diseases and a significant public health problem. Every year, the influenza virus causes 3–5 million severe cases, millions hospitalizations and approximately 650,000 deaths. According to WHO four new influenza strains are projected to circulate in the 2020–2021 epidemic season. Influenza A and B strains are: A/Guangdong-Maonan/ SWL1536/2019 (H1N1) pdm09, A/Hong Kong/2671/2019 (H3N2), B/Washington/02/2019 (Victoria lineage), B/ Phuket/3073/2013 (Yamagata lineage). In this context, the problem of prescribing rational antiviral therapy is particularly importance. COVID-19, along with influenza, is a group of respiratory viral infections, but important differences exist in terms of viral agents and the spread of infection. Important differences include the rate of transmission. The average incubation period and generation time (the time between infecting one person and infecting another) for influenza are shorter. COVID-19 may be more severe, causing complications and deaths in 3–4% of cases. The estimated generation time for COVID 19 is 5-6 days, while for influenza it is 3 days. According to the latest data, the reproductive number, i.e., the number of people who can be infected by one patient, is in the range of 2 to 2.5 in COVID 19, which is higher than in influenza. Only a laboratory test can accurately identify the type of pathogen and distinguish it from influenza and other respiratory viruses. Neuraminidase inhibitors are currently first-line drugs recommended by WHO for the treatment and prevention of influenza.

BackgroundFor decades, antibiotics have been excessively consumed around the world, contributing to increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and negatively impacting health outcomes and expenditures. Antibiotic use in China accounts for half of worldwide antibiotic consumption, which mainly takes place in outpatient and community settings, and often unnecessarily for self-limiting community-acquired infections. This study aimed to identify and assess factors of inappropriate use of antibiotics in the Chinese context to inform the development of interventions to mitigate inappropriate consumption in the absence of clinical indications.MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods systematic review and included empirical studies with original data conducted in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan that investigated factors of antibiotic use in the community including outpatient care among patients, caregivers and prescribers. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Google Scholar and one Chinese database CNKI (China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database), using a combination of the key terms ‘antibiotic’, ‘antimicrobial’, ‘use’, ‘consumption’, ‘behaviour’, ‘prescribe’ and related syntax for all peer-reviewed publications published before June 2020. Health Belief Model was employed for data synthesis.FindingsFifty-four studies were included in the full-text review: 44 quantitative, 5 qualitative and 5 mixed-methods studies. Despite a high AMR awareness, public perception/misconception of antibiotic efficacy and easy access to antibiotics for self-limiting conditions drive inappropriate demand and use in the community including primary care setting. Providers’ prescribing behaviours are influenced by financial incentives, lack of diagnostic capacity and concerns over complications.ConclusionsInappropriate outpatient and community antibiotic use is influenced by non-biomedical factors at the individual, community, health system and societal levels in mainland China, contributing to a high antibiotic use rate. This study calls for context-tailored One Health interventions, restrictive antibiotic drug policy and multifaceted antibiotic stewardship programmes that simultaneously address drivers of inappropriate use from both the supply-side and demand-side within and beyond clinical settings.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019139591.

Background: Adverse reactions associated with Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) are usually the result of unpredictable active/toxic ingredients, inaccurate or mistaken beliefs, or poor supervision. The herb that most commonly induces severe adverse effects in Hong Kong and China is aconite root. More than 200 species of Aconitum plants are used for medicinal purposes, with aconite roots producing analgesic, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, and anti-tumor effects. The active components are alkaloids; these can be toxic, but CHM processing methods lower their toxicity and increase the pharmacological efficacy. However, aconite poisoning can result from inadequate decoction time or exceeding the recommended dose. Case Report: Here we report the case of a 92-year-old woman who presented with life-threatening bradycardia and hypotension. This started 1 h after she inappropriately consumed a herbal decoction containing Fuzi for mood fluctuation and health maintenance; Fuzi, an aconite root, has known cardiotoxicity. Electrocardiography showed supraventricular abnormalities, including sinus bradycardia and low-amplitude P waves. After an infusion of normal saline and inotropic agents for 25 h, the clinical manifestations subsided, her sinus rhythm returned to normal, and she was discharged. At follow-up 2 weeks later, she was in good health and had ceased taking any CHM. Conclusions: Standardized processing methods, stringent regulations, and cooperation between health professions can ensure medication safety and establish a fully-fledged operating process for these valuable drugs. We hope this report will help establish correct attitudes toward CHM and will assist Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners to become more familiar with Aconitum plants.

Abstract Background. An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in our 22-bed intensive care unit (ICU; Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, HKSAR, China) from 12 March to 31 May 2003, when only patients with SARS were admitted. This period was characterized by the upgrading of infection control precautions, which included the wearing of gloves and gowns all the time, an extensive use of steroids, and a change in antibiotic prescribing practices. The pattern of endemic pathogenic organisms, the rates of acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and the rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) were compared with those of the pre-SARS and post-SARS periods. Methods. Data on pathogenic isolates were obtained from the microbiology department (Prince of Wales Hospital). Data on MRSA acquisition and VAP rates were collected prospectively. MRSA screening was performed for all ICU patients. A case of MRSA carriage was defined as an instance in which MRSA was recovered from any site in a patient, and cases were classified as imported or ICU-acquired if the first MRSA isolate was recovered within 72 h of ICU admission or after 72 h in the ICU, respectively. Results. During the SARS period in the ICU, there was an increase in the rate of isolation of MRSA and Stenotrophomonas and Candida species but a disappearance of Pseudomonas and Klebsiella species. The MRSA acquisition rate was also increased: it was 3.53% (3.53 cases per 100 admissions) during the pre-SARS period, 25.30% during the SARS period, and 2.21% during the post-SARS period (P < .001). The VAP rate was high, at 36.5 episodes per 1000 ventilator-days, and 47% of episodes were caused by MRSA. Conclusions. A SARS outbreak in the ICU led to changes in the pathogen pattern and the MRSA acquisition rate. The data suggest that MRSA cross-transmission may be increased if gloves and gowns are worn all the time.

After the appearance of first cases of ‘pneumonia of unknown origin’ in the Wuhan city, China, during late 2019, the disease progressed fast. Its cause was identified as a novel coronavirus, named provisionally 2019-nCoV. Subsequently, an official name was given as SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) study group. The World Health Organization (WHO) named the Coronavirus disease-2019 as COVID-19. The epidemics of COVID-2019 have been recorded over 113 countries/territories/areas apart from China and filched more than 4,292 humans, affecting severely around 1,18,326 cases in a short span. The status of COVID-2019 emergency revised by the WHO within 42 days from Public Health International Emergency (January 30, 2020) to a pandemic (March 11, 2020). Nonetheless, the case fatality rate (CFR) of the current epidemic is on the rise (between 2–4%), relatively is lower than the previous SARS-CoV (2002/2003) and MERS-CoV (2012) outbreaks. Even though investigations are on its way, the researchers across the globe have assumptions of animal-origin of current SARS-CoV-2. A recent case report provides evidence of mild COVID-2019 infection in a pet dog that acquired COVID-2019 infection from his owner in Hong Kong. The news on travellers associated spread across the globe have also put many countries on alert with the cancellation of tourist visa to all affected countries and postponement of events where international visits were required. A few diagnostic approaches, including quantitative and differential real-time polymerase chain reaction assays, have been recommended for the screening of the individuals at risk. In the absence of any selective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, re-purposed drugs are advocated in many studies. This article discourse the current worldwide situation of COVID-2019 with information on virus, epidemiology, host, the role of animals, effective diagnosis, therapeutics, preventive and control approaches making people aware on the disease outcomes.

In December 2019, a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) from a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was recognized in the city of Wuhan, China. Rapidly, it became an epidemic in China and has now spread throughout the world reaching pandemic proportions. High mortality rates characterize SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19), which mainly affects the elderly, causing unrestrained cytokines-storm and subsequent pulmonary shutdown, also suspected micro thromboembolism events. At the present time, no specific and dedicated treatments, nor approved vaccines, are available, though very promising data come from the use of anti-inflammatory, anti-malaria, and anti-coagulant drugs. In addition, it seems that males are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 than females, with males 65% more likely to die from the infection than females. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese scientists show that of all cases about 1.7% of women who contract the virus will die compared with 2.8% of men, and data from Hong Kong hospitals state that 32% of male and 15% of female COVID-19 patients required intensive care or died. On the other hand, the long-term fallout of coronavirus may be worse for women than for men due to social and psychosocial reasons. Regardless of sex- or gender-biased data obtained from WHO and those gathered from sometimes controversial scientific journals, some central points should be considered. Firstly, SARS-CoV-2 has a strong interaction with the human ACE2 receptor, which plays an essential role in cell entry together with transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2); it is interesting to note that the ACE2 gene lays on the X-chromosome, thus allowing females to be potentially heterozygous and differently assorted compared to men who are definitely hemizygous. Secondly, the higher ACE2 expression rate in females, though controversial, might ascribe them the worst prognosis, in contrast with worldwide epidemiological data. Finally, several genes involved in inflammation are located on the X-chromosome, which also contains high number of immune-related genes responsible for innate and adaptive immune responses to infection. Other genes, out from the RAS-pathway, might directly or indirectly impact on the ACE1/ACE2 balance by influencing its main actors (e.g., ABO locus, SRY, SOX3, ADAM17). Unexpectedly, the higher levels of ACE2 or ACE1/ACE2 rebalancing might improve the outcome of COVID-19 in both sexes by reducing inflammation, thrombosis, and death. Moreover, X-heterozygous females might also activate a mosaic advantage and show more pronounced sex-related differences resulting in a sex dimorphism, further favoring them in counteracting the progression of the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Abstract Introduction: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a special pathological tumor exclusive to Asians and EBV infection. As LELC is rare, the genetic picture is not very clear. Our study aims to identify the genomic alterations (GAs) and novel potential predictive biomarkers for LELC by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Materials and Methods: A retrospective search was performed to retrieve the LELC samples from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Hong Kong SAR, China). We identified 38 pathologically confirmed LELC patients with archived surgically resected samples. Of these, 22 tissue specimens had median or heavy deamination and thus did not meet the strict sequencing quality control criteria. Deep targeted sequencing was performed in 16 LELC tissues (12 stage I, 1 stage II, 2 stage III, and 1 stage IV), using a panel of 440 cancer-related genes. Results: We identified 52 mutations, including 45 missenses, 3 splice-sites, and 4 frameshifts. The 9 most frequently mutated genes were MUC6 (43.75%), MUC16 (18.75%), LRP1B (12.5%), FRG1 (12.5%), NSD1 (12.5%), KMT2C (12.5%), ATM (12.5%), KMT2D (12.5%), and MED12 (12.5%). Copy number variant (CNV) analysis identified 172 CNVs, including 163 gains, 5 amplifications, and 4 heterozygous deletions. Gene copy number gain was common (12.5%-18.75%) in chromosome 5p (FGF10, RICTOR, IL7R, ADAMTS16, SDHA, TERT), 6p (TNF, HIST1H1C, HIST1H1E), and 12p (KRAS, SLCO1B3, SLCO1B3, CCND2, FGF23, FGF6, KDM5A, RAD52, IKZF1). These GAs were associated with 8 pathways, including the cell cycle, TP53, NOTCH, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, RTK/RAS/RAF/MEK, TGF-β, β-catenin/WNT, and DNA remodeling pathways. The NGS-derived tumor mutational burden was 1.2 muts/Mb (range 0-7.1) and no tumor exhibited a microsatellite-high signature. For actionability analysis, five patients harbored deleterious or likely deleterious mutations in HRR genes (1 ARID1A, 2 ATM, 1 BRCA2, 1 RAD51C) and thus their tumors might respond to PARP inhibitors, especially two patients with biallelic loss. One patient had concomitant CDK4 and EGFR copy number gain, suggesting a necessity blockade of CDK4/6 and EGFR. Conclusion: Our data may provide insight for understanding the molecular basis underlying LELC and may help develop potential personalized targeted therapies for LELC patients. More than 31% of the LELC cases harbored at least one actionable GA, with five potential candidates for the treatment with FDA-approved drugs for other types of cancer, making the evaluation of these GAs as potential targets for LELC worth considering in future clinical trials. Given the limited treatment options in LELC patients, comprehensive genomic profiling of tumors by NGS has the potential to identify novel treatments for precision medicine in LELC management. Citation Format: William C. Cho, Ka-Po Tse, Kien-Thiam Tan, Wah Cheuk, James C. Chow, Ka M. Cheung, Shu-Jen Chen. Identification of genomic alterations in lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma by next-generation sequencing [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5787.

Abstract Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by an abnormal increase of myeloblasts in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB). Conventional approach of treatment with standard induction chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has reached an impasse with a cure rate of only 30%. A gain-of-function internal tandem duplication (ITD) of fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) was found in 30% of AML and was associated with an inferior treatment response and clinical prognosis. Despite much interests in FLT3 inhibitors in clinical trials, the response was at best transient, limiting their clinical application. Homoharringtonine (HHT) is a natural alkaloid widely used in Mainland China for the treatment of AML. It is a protein translation inhibitor and affects primarily proteins with short half-lives, including many of the downstream effectors of FLT3 signaling. In this study, we evaluated if HHT can be used in combination with sorafenib in the treatment of FLT3-ITD+ AML and examined the mechanistic basis of their synergism. The anti-leukemia effects of drugs on AML cell lines with or without FLT3-ITD mutation were evaluated by a high throughput PrestoBlue® fluorometric assay (a measure of viable cell number) after 3-day culture. Synergism between drugs in combination treatment was evaluated based on Excess Over Bliss Additivism (EOBA). The drug effects on leukemia initiating cells (LIC) activity were examined by xenotransplantation using NOD/SCID/IL2Rg-/- NSG mice and engraftment was enumerated by the presence of human CD45+/mouse CD45.1- cells 6 weeks after transplantation. The effects of HHT and FLT3 inhibitors on FLT3 signaling were examined by Western Blot and Phospho-flow analysis by flow cytometry. HHT exhibited more potent growth inhibitory effect on FLT3-ITD+ AML cell lines, MV4-11 and MOLM-13 (IC50: 3.65 and 3.67 nM) than other AML cell lines (IC50: 7.7 - 32.3 nM). Combination of HHT and sorafenib (H+S) showed pronounced synergism in growth inhibition based on EOBA (29.7% ± 5%) at 3.65 nM (HHT) and 3.85 nM (S). H+S also induced significant increase in apoptosis in MV4-11 based on Annexin V+ population (H+S: 21.3% ± 2.3%; HHT: 11.7% ± 1.9%; S: 8.4% ± 1.0%). Synergism with HHT could also be demonstrated with other FLT3 inhibitors, quizartinib (EOBA: 16% ± 8%) and ponatinib (EOBA: 24% ± 6%) on MV4-11 cell lines. There was no synergism between sorafenib and conventional chemotherapy as exemplified by cytarabine. H+S in vitro significantly reduced engraftment of MV4-11 cells (Vehicle: 65.0% ± 9.7%; H+S: 21.8% ± 8.7%, p<0.01, n=6). HHT alone also inhibited leukemia growth of primary AML samples (IC50: 38.4 ± 7.2 nM, n=88), that was below the peak plasma concentration of HHT (66 nM) in patients receiving treatment. Synergism between H+S was also seen in primary AML samples. Mechanistically, HHT treatment for 6 hours reduced total FLT3 and p-FLT3 protein levels in MV4-11 and MOLM-13. Protein levels of downstream effectors of FLT3 pathway including total Stat5, pStat5, pStat3, pErk were also reduced. A phase II clinical trial of sorafenib (200-400 mg twice daily continuous) and HHT (1.5 mg/m2 for 7 days every 28 days for the first cycle and for 4 days in subsequent cycles, until leukemia progression) combination treatment in patients with chemo-refractory FLT3-ITD+ AML has begun in Hong Kong since January 2014. Bone marrow was performed before and on day 21 after treatment and repeated every two cycles thereafter. Five patients have been treated, including two patients who were primarily refractory to sorafenib monotherapy. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 1 patient and CR with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi) in four others after 1 cycle. The FLT3-ITD allelic burdens before treatment and at CR/CRi were 77.7 ± 9.6% and 20.0 ± 9.6% (p=0.007). As of 5th August 2014, the two primary sorafenib refractory patients had leukemia progression at 65 and 95 days after treatment. The other three patients remained in remission at 113, 134 and 150 days after treatment. In conclusion, HHT and sorafenib demonstrated significant synergistic effect in suppressing the growth of FLT3-ITD+ AML cells both in vitro and in vivo. It provides a promising strategy in improving treatment outcome of FLT3-ITD+ AML patients. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

<p>The second ESMO Asia 2016 Congress, led by an international committee to promote the sharing of expertise and interaction between regional and international experts in oncology, returned for a second appearance at the Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre in Singapore recently. Organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the Asian leg of the annual scientific and educational congress was held from December 16–19th, 2016 and attended by over 2,000 healthcare professionals and exhibitors, including representatives from AMOR who were also present to cover the event. <br /> <br />ESMO Asia 2016 brought together oncologists from the Asian region and beyond to discuss important discoveries in oncology and to update delegates on the latest standards of care, the organizer noted in its media release. More specifically, delegates attending the meeting took the opportunity to exchange thoughts and ideas on current clinical challenges and novel treatment strategies for a variety of tumor subtypes, as well as to highlight emerging cancer therapeutics that are rapidly gaining attention in clinical settings. In addition to highlighting the latest in cancer research, the congress also sought to underscore bioethical, economic, and social challenges posed by cancer by addressing crucial issues such as the rising costs of treatments, the need for psychological support for patients, the need for better palliative care, and the vital importance of improving access to innovative drugs. <br /> <br />In this edition of the ESMO Asia congress, the keynote lectures consisted of two topics: how the differences between tumors can impact the design of effective treatments, and the link between common Epstein-Barr virus and nasopharyngeal cancer. With these two keynote lectures setting the tone for the congress, delegates saw a wide range of key discussions pertaining to the clinical relevance of molecular advances and innovative treatment approaches. Moreover, sessions that focus on improving current clinical understanding of various tumor types and novel treatment strategies for different tumor subtypes were also prominently featured. <br /> <br />In his opening remarks, ESMO President Prof. Fortunato Ciardiello said, “We are glad to be returning to Singapore for the second ESMO Asia Congress. Consolidating activities in Asia underlines the importance ESMO places on collaboration with partners in this region. The program this year will have a strong emphasis on state-of-the-art education and on the current standard of care across all major tumor types.” He continued, “In addition to practical seminars and wide-ranging discussions about how oncologists and other stakeholders can best collaborate for greater treatment results for cancer patients, delegates can look forward to opportunities for interaction with both local experts and key opinion leaders from the international oncology community.” <br /> <br />The opening ceremony was graced by the Guest-of-Honor – Dr. Amy Khor, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Health. In her speech, Dr. Khor laid emphasis on how events such as the ESMO Asia Congress are essential in providing an open platform to facilitate research collaboration. “To address the challenges presented by the complexity of cancer, the development of regional and international research networks is increasingly important to catalyze scientific communication and collaboration,” she said. To this end, Dr. Khor lauded the partnership between ESMO and the Singapore Society of Oncology in setting up a new office for cancer research aimed at facilitating collaborations between researchers in Europe and Asia — ESMO’s first footprint in Asia. “By building capabilities and strengthening our partnerships, we can do much more to improve patient care and treatment, especially for the Asian population,” she said. <br /> <br />Dr. Ravindran Kanesvaran, President of the host organization – Singapore Society of Oncology, echoed the sentiment. “Oncology is a rapidly evolving field that requires a multi-disciplinary approach between various healthcare professionals from different backgrounds and experience extending across all areas of cancer care trying their best to bring an end to this growing scourge. This collaborative endeavor is key to improve access, raise the quality of treatment delivery, and standard of cancer care in Singapore and Asia in general,” he stated. The cancer research office, which is yet to be officially named and launched, will open in the first quarter of 2017 at the National Cancer Centre Singapore and will administer educational grants, workshops, and conferences between Europe and Asia, Dr. Ravindran added. <br /> <br />The ESMO Asia 2016 Congress was supported by 20 of the most important and influential oncology associations in the region, including the Singapore Society of Oncology and the oncology societies from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Uzbekistan. <br /> <br />During the congress, AMOR spoke to Dr. Susanna Hilda Hutajulu, a representative of the Indonesian Society of Hematology and Medical Oncology (ISHMO). Dr. Hutajulu is a practising medical oncologist in Indonesia who is actively involved in clinical research work and she is a regular participant of ESMO meetings, having recently attended ESMO 2016 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Dr. Susanna had also attended the inaugural ESMO Asia congress in 2015 and is an avid supporter of the congress’s multi-faceted agenda. On the development of cancer research in South East Asia, she told AMOR, “I agree that there should be a dedicated platform to showcase and promote the research work of oncology specialists and organizations in South East Asia.” <br /> <br />Dr. Hutajulu added, “Researchers in Indonesia place great importance in Scopus indexing when it comes to choosing the right journals to publish their research work in.” Meanwhile, the Myanmar Oncology Society (MOS) was represented by Dr. Shu Mon, who is based at the Thurein Mon Clinic in Yangon, Myanmar. During the congress, she gave a presentation on breast cancer management that is specific to the Myanmar experience. According to Dr. Shu Mon, there are only 30 qualified medical oncologists serving the whole of Myanmar, a country with a population of about 51 million people. On establishing collaborations with an academic journal, she said, “MOS is willing to work with a journal such as AMOR to promote the oncology research in Myanmar provided that there are suitable opportunities that both sides could agree on.”</p><p> </p><p>During the congress, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ho Gwo Fuang, the guest managing editor for AMOR’s upcoming special issue and a representative of the Malaysian Oncological Society (MOS) at ESMO Asia 2016, was featured as one of the panelists of the ESMO-COS-MOS-NZSO Joint Symposium on ‘New insights into gastrointestinal cancers’. Dr. Ho, who is a medical oncologist at Malaysia’s University Malaya Medical Centre, delivered a talk entitled ‘Adjuvant aspirin for colorectal cancer? A cross-Asia collaborative effort’, a multi-nation initiative involving Singapore, Malaysia, and other Asia Pacific countries. His presentation offered strong scientific and observational data to support the adjuvant use of aspirin in reducing the formation of polyps and metastases after colorectal cancer diagnosis. Towards the end of his presentation, Dr. Ho highlighted the ongoing curation of AMOR’s Special Issue and invited his peers to submit papers to the journal for consideration.</p>

The pandemic of COVID-19 has afflicted every individual and has initiated a cascade of directly or indirectly involved events in precipitating mental health issues. The human species is a wanderer and hunter-gatherer by nature, and physical social distancing and nationwide lockdown have confined an individual to physical isolation. The present review article was conceived to address psychosocial and other issues and their aetiology related to the current pandemic of COVID-19. The elderly age group has most suffered the wrath of SARS-CoV-2, and social isolation as a preventive measure may further induce mental health issues. Animal model studies have demonstrated an inappropriate interacting endogenous neurotransmitter milieu of dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and opioids, induced by social isolation that could probably lead to observable phenomena of deviant psychosocial behavior. Conflicting and manipulated information related to COVID-19 on social media has also been recognized as a global threat. Psychological stress during the current pandemic in frontline health care workers, migrant workers, children, and adolescents is also a serious concern. Mental health issues in the current situation could also be induced by being quarantined, uncertainty in business, jobs, economy, hampered academic activities, increased screen time on social media, and domestic violence incidences. The gravity of mental health issues associated with the pandemic of COVID-19 should be identified at the earliest. Mental health organization dedicated to current and future pandemics should be established along with Government policies addressing psychological issues to prevent and treat mental health issues need to be developed. References World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. 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Mab-Venture Biopharma & Thermo Fisher Establish Asia Pacific’s First “SmartFactory” for Antibody Drugs. Venus Medtech’s TAVR Device Is Approved By CFDA, Creating A New Era of Interventional Cardiology in China. Key Diabetes Receptor Structure Determined by International Collaboration. China Sets Up National Lab Developing Brain-Like AI Technology. Chinese Scientists Realize On-site Drug Detection. Scientists Map Single-Copy HIV-1 Provirus Loci in Human Chromosomes in Live Host Cells. Gene Variant Explains Differences in Blood Fatty Acid Levels. Scientists Illustrate How Host Cell Responds to Zika Virus Infection. Hong Kong News – Uni-Bio Science Launches Best-in-Class Oral Anti-Diabetic Drug Mitiglinide Branded “博康泰®”(Bokangtai).

Australia — Australia Ends Ban on Embryo Cloning for Research. Australia — Australia Government Allocates A$500 million for Science. Australia — Gardasil Immunization Program in Australia from Next Year. China — AIDS Patients to be Compensated for Blood Infection. China — New AIDS Therapy More Effective. China — Changzhou National Hi-Tech District Creates Alliance with Samara Province in Russia For Joint Construction Of Science & Technology Park. Hong Kong — New CRO in Hong Kong to Feed China. Hong Kong — Botanical Medicine Company Chi-Med Collaborates with Merck. India — Indian Pharmaceuticals Agree to Supply Cheaper Drugs for Children with AIDS. India — British Pharmacopoeia Officials to Hold Talks with Indian officials. India — Indian Government to Set Up Five Institutes to Boost Pharma R&D. South Korea — South Korea Reports on its Second Outbreak of Bird Flu. Singapore — Scientists will Perform Research Work on New Stem Cell Bank. Singapore — Scientists Discover New Path for Malaria Drug. Singapore — Singapore's Fusionopolis Phase 2A Sells Out. Singapore — Singapore Ministries to Tackle Rise in AIDS Number. Singapore — A*STAR-Karolinska Symposium on Immunology. Singapore — Singapore to Set Up Two Biomed R&D Centers. Singapore — Human Embroynic Stem Cells Research in Singapore. Thailand — Thai Health Ministry To Issue Compulsory License For Merck's HIV/AIDS Drug Efavirenz. Others — Gardisil Research in Britain. Others — World Bank Says More Funding Needed to Fight Bird Flu.

AUSTRALIA — A Web-based Tool to Predict Bone Fracture Risk AUSTRALIA — World's First Stem Cell Screening Facility to Target Brain Tumors CHINA — Agro-Technology to Build Biodiesel Refinery CHINA — TCM Development Strategy Established CHINA — Folic Acid Prevents Stomach Cancer CHINA — A Major Nanobiology Research Project is Initiated at CAS CHINA — Scientists to Sequence Giant Panda Genome CHINA — Biotech Company Announces World's First Genetically Modified Phytase Corn CHINA — Smoking — A Major Risk Factor of Stroke in China HONG KONG — ASB Biodiesel to Build Hong Kong Plant INDIA — CCRAS Identified 39 Formulations for Eight Specific Disease Conditions INDIA — First Hi-tech TomoTherapy System Installed INDIA — Government Research Labs Develop 28 New Drugs for Chronic Ailments INDIA — BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring Cardiac Devices Launched in India INDIA — Biotech Incubation Center to Become a Reality Soon JAPAN — Radiation Exposure in utero and in Young Children Increases Adult Cancer Risk JAPAN — Anchoring Protein Variant Associated with Increased Breast Cancer Risk JAPAN — Stem Cells Develop New Organs in Mice NEW ZEALAND — New Diabetes Treatment Now Available in New Zealand NEW ZEALAND — Trans-Tasman Scientists Study Livestock Methane PHILIPPINES — Philippines Bioethanol Capacity to Expand SINGAPORE — Asia's First Research Center for Palliative Care Opens in Singapore SINGAPORE — Millipore Corporation (MIL) Announces New Facility in Singapore SINGAPORE — Patients Under Chronic Disease Management Program Show Better Disease Control SINGAPORE — NTUC Childcare Issues Health Alert Following Hong Kong Flu Outbreak TAIWAN — Gene Screening Used in IVF for Healthy Babies TAIWAN — Researchers Tout Progress in Vaccine to Combat HIV TAIWAN — Taipei Program to Help Cardiac Arrest Victims

AUSTRALIA — Australia Commits Extra Fund to Combat AIDS in Asia Pacific. AUSTRALIA — Australia Joins European Molecular Biology Laboratory. AUSTRALIA — Australian Scientists Discovers New Drugs to Treat Childhood Cancer. CHINA — China Tries to Reduce Corruption in Medical Equipment Industry. CHINA — Chinese Police Arrest Fake Drug Ring. CHINA — China Donates US$30 000 to Cambodian Red Cross for Dengue Control. CHINA — Sino-Dutch Center for Plant Molecular Breeding Established in Shanghai. CHINA — Project of S&T for Grain Harvest Launched. CHINA — UNAIDS Chief Heaps Praise on China's Anti-AIDS Efforts. CHINA — China and ASEAN Work as a Team to Fight Against Avian Flu. HONG KONG — Guangdong Province, Macau and Hong Kong Health Authorities Cooperate in Infectious Diseases Control. INDIA — Indian Health Ministry to Finalize Draft on HIV/AIDS Bill. INDONESIA — Indonesia to Step Up Fight Against HIV/AIDS. JAPAN — Japan Scientists Develops Artifical Womb. NEW ZEALAND — Government Urged to Reject Dangerous GM Corn. SINGAPORE — Singapore and France Launch Workshop on Managing Bird Flu Epidemic. SINGAPORE — National Registry of Diseases Act to Help Medical Data Collection for Research. SINGAPORE — New Cervical Cancer Vaccine Available in Singapore Shortly. SOUTH KOREA — Korean Scientists Advance Genome Research with Bioinformatics. TAIWAN — Taiwan to Develop US$900 Million National Biotech Park. OTHERS — Asia Braces for New Dengue Outbreak.

Australia — Australia and New Zealand Collaborate on Grain Research. Australia — Cervical Cancer Hope for Developing World. Australia — Agilent Technologies Honors Australian Researcher with 2007 Manfred Donike Award. China — China Adopts Five-Year Health Plan. China — Chinese HIV/AIDS Advocate Gao Receives Award. China — China's New Rule on Prescription of Drugs. China — China to Increase Spending on Agricultural Biotechnology. China — China to Increase Natural Science Research Investment. China — Free TB Detection and Treatment Promised in China. China — Dr Zhang Xu Awarded the 6th Shanghai Peony Award for Research in Natural Sciences. China — National Survey on TB Drug-Resistance to Be Launched. China — Twelve Technological Infrastructure Projects to Be Built in China. China — China Passes Draft Regulation on Human Organ Transplant. China — Scientist Wins Top Scientific and Technological Award. China — Science and Technology Progress in 2006. Hong Kong — Hong Kong Reports Human Case of H9N2. India — India's Maharashtra FDA Conducted Raids on Fake Drug Makers. India — NIH Chooses India and China for HIV Clinical Trials. India — Apollo Hospitals Teams Up with StemCyte on Stem Cell Research. India — Ranbaxy in Lipitor Patent Suit with Pfizer in 17 countries. India — DuPont to Set Up R&D Center in India. India — AZRFI Dissolved and AstraZeneca to Mentor Science Sponsorship. India — AstraZeneca's New Center in India. Japan — Tamiflu May be Dangerous to Teens. New Zealand — PHARMAC Asking about Herceptin Funding. New Zealand — Two New Medicines Funded for People with HIV. South Korea — South Korean Laboratory Develops Radiation Source for Cancer Treatment. South Korea — Health Ministers of South Korea, China and Japan to Meet. South Korea — South Korea to Issue Safety Warnings on Tamiflu. Taiwan — Taiwan Scientists Develop Reproductive Cells from hESC. Thailand — Thai Health Groups Urge the Boycotting of Abbott. Vietnam — Vietnam to Produce Bird Flu Vaccines for Poultry. Others — WHO takes Stern Measures against Fake Drugs.

Abstract S2.4 Veterinary mycology research, September 21, 2022, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Oomycosis is an emerging disease of humans and animals caused by oomycetes in the Stramenopiles-Alveolata-Rhizaria super group, mainly Pythium insidiosum and occasionally Lagenidium giganteum or Paralagenidum species. In surface freshwater, oomycetes produce motile biflagellate asexual zoospores with marked chemotactic attraction to epithelial surfaces of vertebrate hosts. Infection is the result of encystation and invasion of damaged skin or gastrointestinal mucosa. Of ∼ 4200 cases of pythiosis reported globally between 1980 and 2021 only ∼ 20% involved humans while 80% involved animals, mainly horses, dogs, and cattle. Most human cases occur in India and Thailand, whereas most animal infections were reported in the United States and Brazil. Pythiosis has been reported in mainland China, but the burden of the disease is low and comprises &lt;1% of overall cases in humans. Neither pythiosis nor lagenidiosis has been previously reported in humans or animals in Hong Kong. From January 2018 to January 2022, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory of City University of Hong Kong diagnosed 10 cases of oomycosis (5 canine, 5 feline) after identification of non-parallel walled, irregularly branching, and poorly septate hyphae in the center of necrotic regions of histological sections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPET). Species identity was confirmed by PCR and sequencing of 28S rDNA from DNA extracts of FFPET. There were 8 cases of P. insidiosum and 2 of L. giganteum infection. Serum ELISA was positive for Pythium antibodies in 5/6 cases tested and negative for Pythium/Lagenidium/Paralagenidum antibodies in a German shepherd dog (GSD) with disseminated disease caused by L. giganteum. Affected dogs were young to middle-aged at presentation (9 months to 5 years old). Two dogs had focal cutaneous infections, two had extensive gastrointestinal involvement, and the GSD had disseminated disease with cutaneous, mediastinal, and abdominal involvement. Affected cats were young (8 weeks to 18 months) and presented with subcutaneous/cutaneous disease. Three cats had a distinctive perianal ring of bulging subcutaneous granulation tissue, including one that also had an ulcerated, proliferative and necrotic lesion involving two adjacent hind-limb digits. One cat had facial subcutaneous swelling with mandibular lymph node enlargement and the remaining cat presented with extensive circumferential swelling of one hind limb from the distal paw to the mid-stifle. All cats tested negative for the Feline leukemia virus and Feline immunodeficiency virus. Traumatic or surgical wounds preceding infection were identified in a kitten caught in a rodent glue-trap with skin wounds, in a cat with facial involvement that had an injured globe surgically enucleated, and in a dog with cutaneous pythiosis that had chronic dermatitis. Treatment data were available for one canine case. The GSD with lagenidiosis was treated with combination antimicrobial therapy including voriconazole, terbinafine, minocycline, and azithromycin. The dog responded poorly. Mefenoxam was substituted for voriconazole and hyperbaric oxygen therapy was administered. After initial response, the dog succumbed 4 months from diagnosis. We have had success with the treatment of four feline cases using combination therapy including surgical debridement, immunotherapy with a Pythium vaccine, and combinations of antifungal drugs (posaconazole and terbinafine), and/or antimicrobials (doxycycline/minocycline and azithromycin).

By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 490(b)(1)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, (“the Act”), I hereby determine and certify that the following major drug producing and or major drug transit countries/dependent territories have cooperated fully with the United States, or taken adequate steps on their own, to achieve full compliance with the goals and objectives of the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances: Aruba, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

India’s Nath Seeds Ties up with Chinese Biotech Firm for Bt Cotton. Japan’s Takara Grants Molmed Right to Use RetroNectin for Gene Therapy. Sumitomo to Access LifeSpan’s GPCR Expression and Localization Database. Wyeth Lederle Japan Transfers Over-the-counter Drugs to Takeda. Kyowa Hakko Develops New Antibody Technology. Australia’s BTF Completes Prototype for Precise Culture Based Microorganisms. Novogen to Start Phenoxodiol Clinical Trials in Australia. China Investigates Fault in US-made Tempo Pacemakers. Japan Drugmakers to Boost Sales in China. YuHan at Forefront of Pharmaceuticals in Korea. Eli Lilly Opens Asian Headquarters in Hong Kong. DSM Produces Semi-synthetic Penicillin in China. World Diagnostics to Sell Test Kits in India and Vietnam. AMDL Reports Disappointing Sales from Asian Distributor. Taiwan University and AbGenomics to Develop Proprietary Biomedical Platforms. Omeros Medical Systems and Singapore Institute to Develop New Drug Delivery System.

NEWS – Lilly and Innovent Biologics enter strategic alliance; one of the largest biotech drug development collaborations in China. NEWS – ZAI Lab enrolls first patient in Phase 1 study of ZL-2102. NEWS – LamdaGen Corporation launches Taiwan diagnostic subsidiary. NEWS – 3M makes a greater commitment in China's West Region; Plans for a new customer technical center. NEWS – NCKU launches campus food ingredients registration platform. NEWS – Lab-free immune therapy developed. NEWS – Hainan Province, Hengda Health and Korean Yuanchen enter strategic cooperation agreement. NEWS – Bristol-Myers Squibb and ZAI Lab enter licensing agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialize brivanib in China. NEWS – Concord Medical acquires Fortis Surgical Hospital in Singapore. NEWS – Merck Animal Health and China Animal Husbandry Industry Co., Ltd establish partnership. NEWS – Helsinn Group signs exclusive agreement with Mundipharma for distribution and license of anamorelin in China, Hong Kong and Macau. NEWS – C-FDA approves IND for D-Pharm's anti-epileptic drug, DP-VPA in China. NEWS – Waters' UPLC I-Class/Xevo TQ-S System approved for in vitro diagnostic use in China. NEWS – Vitruvias Therapeutics and Sunny Pharmtech form partnership to co-develop several high value generic drugs. NEWS – Professor Xie Xiaoliang first Chinese Albany Award winner. RESEARCH INSTITUTES – A look at Duke Kunshan University Global Health Research Center. RESEARCH INSTITUTES – The NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science.

AUSTRALIA – World-Class Cancer Center to be Built in Parkville. AUSTRALIA – Cure Found for Devastating Muscle Disease. AUSTRALIA – HIV Test to Help Monitor Sufferers. AUSTRALIA – Radium Weed Weeds Out Sun Spots, Skin Cancer. AUSTRALIA – Kava Safe and Effective in Reducing Anxiety. CHINA – CAS Develops New Salt-tolerant Wheat. CHINA – Search for Passengers on Flights with Flu Case. HONG KONG – Hong Kong Confirms Asia's 1st Swine Flu Case. INDIA – Indian Healthcare Market to Grow Despite Slowdown. INDIA – WHO Lifts Vaccine Embargo on India. JAPAN – Scientists Create World's First Transgenic Monkeys. JAPAN – Japan Swine Flu Cases Surge. NEW ZEALAND – New Frontiers in Gene Behavior. NEW ZEALAND – Innovative Pet Food Research Consortium Launched. SINGAPORE – 50 Receive Healthcare Humanity Awards. SINGAPORE – No-Go for Swine Flu Parties. SINGAPORE – Asia's First Combined Heart and Liver Transplant. SINGAPORE – Singapore to Host Conference on Tobacco or Health. SINGAPORE – Diabetes Hits Asia's Youth. SOUTH KOREA – $14.6 mn for Fight Against New Flu. TAIWAN – Flu Vaccine to be Available by End of Year. TAIWAN – Mutation in Gene allows Cancer to Spread. TAIWAN – Scientists Find Ways to Improve Cancer Drugs. TAIWAN – Team Makes Discovery in Search for New Antibiotic. TAIWAN – Taiwan Tags Sixteen Countries with Yellow Travel Alert Over Flu. TAIWAN – Team Makes Breakthrough in Therapy for Childhood Cancer. THAILAND – Thailand Tries to Become Starch-Production Hub. THAILAND – Thailand and Taiwan to Begin Biotech Cooperation Plan. VIETNAM – US gives Vietnam Protective Bird Flu Equipment. OTHER REGIONS — UNITED STATES – Over 52's May Be Better Protected.

AUSTRALIA – Second-Generation Diagnostic Achieves 98% Accuracy in Detecting Early Stage Ovarian Cancers AUSTRALIA – New Center Brings Australian and Chinese Researchers Together to Fight Infectious Diseases AUSTRALIA – Co-developing New Treatment Guidelines for Melanoma AUSTRALIA – Australia Leads World's First Global Effort to Improve Genetic Disorders Diagnosis CHINA – China Bans Illegal Food Additives to Reinforce Food Safety Control CHINA – China Steps Up Tighter Inspection in Food Safety CHINA – WHO and China to Do More for Chinese with Hearing Impairment CHINA – First TCM Drug for Arrhythmia CHINA – First Human-Human Transmission of Tick-Borne Disease Reported in China CHINA – Bird Flu Found in Chickens in Eastern China CHINA – First Bird Flu Death Reported for 2009, No Bird-flu Outbreak HONG KONG – Hong Kong Alerts New Bird Flu Outbreak INDIA – India Also Confirmed Bird Flu Incidence INDIA – India Plans 20 More Biotech Parks for Life Sciences Research KOREA – An Economic Share in Medical Tourism Market JAPAN – Brain Tissues Made from Stem Cells NEW ZEALAND – Newly Merged Research Institute Leverage Greater Synergy NEW ZEALAND – Kiwi's Green Plastic Well-Acclaimed in International Awards NEW ZEALAND – Sea Sponge Indigenous to NZ Could Reduce Chemo Side Effects PHILIPPINES – Ebola-Reston Virus Jumped Species SINGAPORE – Human Sewage, the Potential Source of Clean Energy SINGAPORE – No More Heart-stopping Incidents for Heart Patients SINGAPORE – China Milk Products Get All-Clear from Singapore SINGAPORE – Discovery of New Properties in Imidazolium Salts Yield Multi Applications SINGAPORE – S'pore Ranked World's Most Prolific for Eye Research Per Capita SINGAPORE – Outdoor Sun Reduces Incidence of Myopia in Children TAIWAN – University Hospital in Taiwan Collaborates with Neuralstem VIETNAM – Return of Bird Flu, Vietnam Runs High Risk of Human Infection VIETNAM – Conjoined Twins Successfully Separated VIETNAM – Rise in Off-Season Dengue Fever Cases NORTH AMERICA – Epilepsy Drugs Prescription to Carry Suicide Risk Warning NORTH AMERICA – U.S. Doctors Succeeded Near-total Face Transplant NORTH AMERICA – Vaccinating Pacific Girls against Cervical Cancer NORTH AMERICA – Manipulating Love and Emotions by Spray EUROPE – Cambridge Pips Oxford in Research EUROPE – Adapting Car Manufacturing Technology to Produce Synthetic Bone Implants EUROPE – Dioxin-tainted Irish Pork Products Recalled

Objective: Survey pediatricians and guardians of children with tic disorder on medication needs and choices.Methods: We designed a cross-sectional survey for pediatricians in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, as well as for the guardians of patients with tic disorder from West China Second University Hospital. We collected and analyzed information on clinicians’ medical behavior and medication choices and on guardians’ knowledge of tic disorder, medical treatment behaviors, and medication choices and needs.Results: We collected responses from 242 physicians and 610 guardians. For patients with tic disorder and without comorbidities, the first-line drugs selected by physicians were tiapride (60.74%), clonidine (32.64%), haloperidol (25.62%), aripiprazole (16.53%), and sulpiride (12.4%). Physicians reported making medication choices by considerations such as clinical guidelines, clinical efficacy, a low incidence of adverse drug reactions, sufficient clinical research evidence, convenient dosage forms, and patient adherence. Guardians reported making medication choices by considerations such as a low incidence of adverse drug reactions, physician recommendations, clinical efficacy, dose, dosage forms, and the convenience and steadiness of obtaining the medication. However, guardians exhibited insufficient knowledge of tic disorder and treatment options.Conclusions: Physicians and patient guardians differ in their considerations when selecting medications, highlighting a gap in optimizing treatment.

Background: Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) imposes a heavy tumor burden worldwide due to limited availability of therapeutic drugs. Aflibercept, a kind of recombinant protein of the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, has been approved in clinical application among mCRC patients since 2012. A comprehensive analysis of the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of aflibercept in mCRC treatment is necessary.Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of aflibercept for the treatment of mCRC in order to provide a decision-making reference for the selection of targeted drugs for second-line treatment of mCRC in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions of China and the selection of new drugs for medical institutions in these regions.Methods: A systematic retrieve on databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and Weipu, as well as relevant websites and databases of health technology assessment including the National Institute of Health and Clinical Optimization, Centre for Evaluation and Communication at the University of York, and the Canadian Agency for Medicines and Health Technology, was conducted. The literature was screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were extracted and analyzed by two authors, while the quality of the literature was assessed.Results: Finally, we included two HTA reports, 11 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, and two cost-effectiveness studies in the rapid health technology assessment. For mCRC patients receiving second-line treatment, aflibercept combined with FOLFIRI significantly increased progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) and the objective response rate (ORR) also improved, compared with folinic acid + fluorouracil + irinotecan (FOLFIRI). In terms of safety, mCRC patients who received aflibercept combined with FOLFIRI therapy had a higher incidence of grade 3–4 adverse events than those who received FOLFIRI alone, including anti-VEGF–related adverse events (hypertension, hemorrhagic events, and proteinuria) and chemotherapy-related adverse events (diarrhea, weakness, stomatitis, hand-foot syndrome, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia). In terms of cost-effectiveness, two economic studies conducted in the United Kingdom and Japan, respectively, found that compared with FOLFIRI, aflibercept combined with FOLFIRI had no cost-effectiveness advantage in mCRC patients receiving second-line treatment.Conclusion: Compared with FOLFIRI treatment, aflibercept combined with FOLFIRI for the second-line treatment of mCRC patients has better efficacy, worse safety, and is not cost-effective. More high-quality clinical studies are required for further exploration of aflibercept’s clinical value. Medical institutions in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions of China should be cautious when using or introducing aflibercept plus FOLFIRI as a mCRC treatment.

Australia to Lead a Global Project to Document Human Variation and Transformation Genetic Health. EvoGenix Nets $1.66 m Grant for Cancer Work. First Live Porcine Vaccine in Australia. PharmAust Collaborates with Bristol Pharma Australia. Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference in Melbourne. Stanford Signs Pact to Provide Online Health Information to China. Lonza Increases Stakes in China. China Invests in International Traditional Chinese Medicine Programs. China's Science Ministry Reforms to Prevent Misconduct. China Harnesses Brain Power for Life Science Industry. Chinese Society of Biotechnology Holds Annual Conference. TWAS Prizes in Biology — China and Brazil. China to Reform Biotech Policies. Bird Flu News in Indonesia. Hong Kong University Vice—Chancellor Lap-Chee Tsui Appointed as an Honor Professor of Zhejiang University. Australia and Korea Fishing for Synergies. Top Indian Health Institute Sacks its Director. LabVantage India Eyeing the Domestic Pharma & Healthcare Market. India's Panacea Biotec Signs Deal with Indonesian PT Bio Pharma. International Congress Held in India. Kyowa Hakko Kogyo to Expand its Fuji Plant and Accelerate R&D for Antibody Drugs. Crucell Licenses Cell Line Technology to Japanese Firm. Malaysia's Biotechnology Asia 2006 will Gather Global Industry Players, Researchers and Entrepreneurs. New Zealand Launch Technology Partnership Programs. CombinatoRx Receives Infectious Disease Research Grant from Singapore's EDB. Singapore's RIEC Allocates $1.4 billion for Three Research Programs. ITRI and UK's Sanger Institute Sign Research Collaboration MOU. Warren Buffet Pledges Most of his Fortune to Gates Foundation.

Australia — Cochlear's Inventor Professor Graeme Clark Wins Top Research Prize. Australia — Biotech Projects Receive a Solid Share of ARC Funding. Australia — Australia Commits A$25 Million to Tackle Malaria in the Pacific. Australia — Western Australia to Get A$200 Million Worth of Research Hubs. Australia — Australian Government Funds Pharmaceutical Partnerships Program. China — New Diabetic Eye Disease Center in Beijing. China — Akzo Nobel to Open Two Chemical Plants. China — China Tightens Controls on Blood-Based Medicines. China — China Donates US$8 Million to WHO. China — Establishment of Eight New State Key Labs at CAS Approved. China — SFDA Approves Second Phase Trials for Bird Flu Vaccine. Hong Kong — Asia to Test Injectable Drug for Bird and Human Flu. Japan — Japan Investigates More Flu Drugs for Inducing Abnormal Behavior. Japan — Japan and South Korea to Launch First Joint Clinical Study of Cancer Drug. India — Senate Committee Approves Bill that would Reauthorize American Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Malaysia — Malaysia Plans New Law to Regulate Genetically Modified Foods. New Zealand — New Zealand Researchers Use Bacterial Enzymes to Boost Chemotherapy. New Zealand — New Zealand Government Tests Pandemic Action Plan. Singapore — Singapore University Plans to Set up Bioengineering Research Center. Singapore — Singapore and Indonesia to Join Forces in the Battle Against Bird Flu. Singapore — Singapore to Set Up New Legal Framework to Protect Personal Data of Biomedical Research Participants. Taiwan — Pingtung Biotech Park Opens in July. Thailand — Abbott Makes New Offer of US $1 000 per Person for HIV/AIDS Drug. Vietnam — Vietnam Reports New Bird Flu Outbreak.

MicroMedical Ready to Commercialize Australian-developed Artificial Heart. Australia's BresaGen Cell Therapy Program Enters New Phase. Study Shows Novogen's Promensil Relieves Common Breast Condition. Bionomics Appoints Eminent Cancer Researcher to Its Scientific Advisory Board. Clover Receives Marketing Approval for HiDHA from Thai FDA. NZ's Industrial Research Finds Success in Biopharmaceuticals. Dr. Reddy's Diabetes Drug in Final Lap of Trials. Indian Firm Panacea Biotec Offers Safer Anthrax Vaccine. Japan's Santen Pharmaceuticals Starts Glaucoma Medicine Phase Two Trials in US. Hayashibara Develops Method to Boost Skin's Collagen Production Ability. Otsuka and Bristol-Myers Squibb Seek FDA Approval for Schizophrenia Drug. Eisai Completes Phase Three Trials of Anti-dementia Drug for Cerebrovascular Dementia. Bayer to Build US$3.4 Billion Plant in China. Biosystems to Distribute Rapid HIV Test Kit in China. SciClone's Sales of Immune Enhancer Remarkably Increase. Cytyc Conducts Study on ThinPrep Pap Test in China. Entomed and Shanghai Institute to Collaborate on Insect-based Drugs. China's Chifeng Pharmaceutical Mass Produces Epherdrine. Digene's China Study Confirms Effectiveness of HPV Testing in Cervical Cancer Screening. Applied Gene Technologies and AsiaGen to Jointly Fight Tuberculosis. GlaxoSmithKline's Hepatitis B Antidote Goes on Sale in China. World Diagnostics Opens GLOBALeMED Website in Hong Kong. US-based Tanox to Invest NT$14 Billion in Taiwan Pharmaceutical Plant. Taiwan Salt to Begin Production of Collagen Material. Novartis to Set Up Tropical Diseases Research Center in Singapore. Hollin-Eden Tests Immune-Regulating Hormone at Singapore Hospital. GlaxoSmithKline and Diethelm Sign Distribution Pact in Malaysia. Korea's EnBiobank Lab Wins Agricultural "Nobel Prize". Ilyang Pharmaceutical Opens Inorganic Materials Plant.