《第一财经日报》12月2日报道，当地时间11月26日，美国纽约东区联邦地区法院做出终审裁决，判定被告中国华北制药集团（下称“华药集团”）下属河北维尔康制药有限公司（下称“维尔康”）在美国维C反垄断案中败诉，赔偿原告Ranis公司1.53亿美元（约合9.34亿元）。在此之前，同样作为被告的石家庄制药集团维生药业（下称“石药维生药业”）、江苏江山制药及东北制药三家公司已经选择和解，向原告支付了约3400万美元的和解赔偿金。至此，长达8年的维生素C国际诉讼案，终审以4家中国被告公司3家庭外和解、1家公司败诉收场。

Epigenetics refers to functionally relevant changes to the genome that do not involve a change in the nucleotide sequence. Epigenetics can also be defined as heritable and acquired changes in gene function that occur without a change in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic change is a regular and natural occurring process but it can also be influenced by factors including age, environment/lifestyle, and disease state. Examples of mechanisms that trigger such changes are DNA methylation and histone modification, each of which alters the genes expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.

Chromatography systems are used for the purification of biochemical, environmental, and other chemical entities using the principle of separation chemistry. The major entities which are regularly separated are metabolites, proteins, carbohydrates, and salts. Chromatography systems are routinely used in pharmaceutical companies and academic institutes for commercial production of biopharmaceuticals and analysis of various molecules. Owing to the increased demand for biopharmaceuticals, the chromatography systems are automated and integrated as a unit in small to large laboratories and large commercial companies. As a result, chromatography systems have become an important accessory tool for various research and commercial purposes.

Microbiological testing plays an ever increasing role in delivering high quality drug products to patients, whether it's practiced in the pharmaceutical laboratory and in the manufacturing environment. In response to the drive for continuous improvement and further economies, a variety of new methodologies have emerged in recent years which automate existing methods, make use of surrogate markers for growth, or are based on wholly new technologies. These new methodologies offer significant improvements in terms of the speed, accuracy, precision and specificity with which testing can be performed. However, in spite of the limitations of current culture methods, acceptance of new and potentially superior methods has only started to gain momentum within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. We believe this continues to be due in part to a lack of clear guidance regarding the demonstration of their equivalence to existing methods acceptable to regulatory agencies and validation of the equipment associated with the new methods. In any case, many of these new rapid methods may have a role to play in other applications including missions in space where we want to know the impact of microorganisms on space travel, as well as what microorganisms might be waiting to be discovered.

This chapter will summarize current knowledge in renal replacement technologies in the treatment of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury. The mechanics of different treatment modalities with emphasis on continuous renal replacement therapies will be described, as well as the application of such technologies in the management of fluid overload and metabolic abnormalities. Appropriate composition of dialysate and replacement fluids, use of anticoagulation, choice of vascular access, and potential complications in the use of such technologies will be discussed. Finally, the chapter will compare the main features of the different currently available CRRT machines.

The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is a major pathway activated by exposure to emotional stressors. We have demonstrated SNS hard-wiring in the form of sympathetic nerve fibers in 4T1 mammary tumors, a mouse model of metastatic breast cancer. We established that 4T1 tumor cells do not express functional - or -adrenergic receptors (AR), the receptors activated by norepinephrine (NE), the neurotransmitter of the SNS. Yet, manipulation of sympathetic neurotransmission in vivo by chemical ablation of sympathetic nerves to deplete NE decreased F480+ tumor associated macrophages and reduced tumor weight. Furthermore, chronic treatment with desipramine (DMI), an antidepressant that elevates synaptic NE, increased 4T1 tumor growth, but not metastasis. DMI-induced tumor growth was not associated with increased tumor angiogenesis, and pro-tumor cytokines VEGF, IL-6, RANTES, and MIP-2 were reduced by DMI. To further dissect the tumor response to NE, mice were treated with selective AR agonists. The 2-AR agonist dexmedetomidine (DEX) increased tumor growth and metastasis in the absence of alterations in VEGF, IL-6, RANTES, and MIP-2. Treatment with the -AR agonists isoproterenol and salmeterol did not significantly alter tumor growth/metastasis. In DMI- and DEX-treated mice, tumor collagen microstructure was uniquely altered in 4T1 tumors, suggesting a novel stromal-mediated mechanism whereby elevated NE and stimulation of AR may increase tumor growth. These results suggest that NE-induced tumor growth is mediated by 2-AR activation, but other AR pathways activated by elevated synaptic NE may modulate the tumor-promoting effect of 2-AR activation. Understanding how AR pathways regulate breast tumor pathogenesis will lead to new therapies to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis.

Combination therapy is increasingly utilized for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. 

Despite the elevated rates of psychiatric problems among returning combat veterans, available evidence suggests that as many as half of soldiers screening positive for mental health problems never seek treatment for these issues (Fikretoglu et al., 2008, Hoge et al., 2006). One promising treatment approach that has shown efficacy in preliminary research and which may address issues related to stigma and barriers to care, is the used of web-based treatment interventions. In particular, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) is rapidly emerging as a potentially efficacious treatment option for many individuals with mild to moderate depression (Andersson and Cuijpers, 2009). Emerging evidence suggests that iCBT is a particularly promising and well-accepted approach for treating large numbers of individuals while minimizing cost and clinicians time demand. Recently, researchers from the School of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) developed and validated several, clinician-assisted iCBT programs that have shown remarkable success in treating major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and panic disorder (Robinson et al., 2010, Titov et al., 2010, Titov et al., 2009).

DNA methylation is a dynamic chemical modification that is abundant on DNA sequences and plays a central role in the regulatory mechanisms of cells. This modification can be inherited across cell divisions and generations, providing a “memory mechanism” for regulatory programs that is more flexible than that coded in the DNA sequence. In recent years, high-throughput sequencing technologies have enabled genome-wide annotation of DNA methylation. Coupled with novel computational machinery, these developments have enabled unperceivable insight to the characteristics,biological function and disease association of this phenomenon.

In October 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released the report Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury: Evaluating the Evidence, assessing the published evidence for the effectiveness of using cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) to treat people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI has gained increasing attention in the past 15 years because of its status as the signature wound of American military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Growing numbers of U.S. service members are suffering traumatic brain injuries and are surviving them, given that (a) the majority of traumatic brain injuries are mild and (b) lifesaving measures for more severe injuries have significantly improved. People with any level of injury can require ongoing health care in their recovery, helping them to regain (or compensate for) their losses of function and supporting their full integration into their social structure and an improved quality of life.