Indian Patent Policy and Publich Health : implications from the Japanese Experience

The introduction of pharmaceutical product patents in India and other developing countries is expected to have a significant effect on public health and local pharmaceutical industries. This paper draws implications from the historical experience of Japan when it introduced product patents in 1976. In Japan, narrow patents and promotion of cross-licensing were effective tools to keep drug prices in check while ensuring the introduction of new drugs. While the global pharmaceutical market surrounding India today differs considerably from that of the 1970\u27s, the Japanese experience offers a policy option that may profitably be considered by India today. The Indian patent system emphasizes the patentability requirement in contrast to the Japanese patent policy which relied on narrow patents and extensive licensing. R&D by local firms and the development of local products may be promoted more effectively under the Japanese model

Preliminary outcomes of primary phacoemulsification plus intraocular lens implantation for primary angleclosure glaucoma

Purpose : To evaluate effects and safety of primary phacoemulsification plus intraocular lens implantation for controlled chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG) or primary angle-closure (PAC). Design : Prospective, non-randomized comparative trial. Methods : Two treatment groups were used. The IOL group included the use of phacoemulsification plus intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in 27 eyes. The LI group included treatment by laser iridotomy (LI) in 23 eyes. Intraocular pressure (IOP), numbers of antiglaucoma medications, complications, and corneal endothelial cell counts were examined in each group. Results : In the IOL group, IOP was significantly reduced from a preoperative mean of 14.8±4.2 mmHg to a 6-month-postoperative mean of 10.8±1.6 mmHg (P ＜.05). However, in the LI group, mean preoperative IOP was 15.5±4.1 mmHg, and the 6-month-postoperative IOP was 14.7±4.7 mmHg (P = .76). In the IOL group, no patient used anti-glaucoma medications 6-month postoperatively, whereas in the LI group, mean number of anti-glaucoma medications was 0.2±0.4 (P ＜.05). There were no significant differences in preoperative and postoperative corneal endothelial cell counts between IOL and LI groups (P = .39). Conclusions : Primary phacoemulsification plus intraocular lens implantation for controlled CACG or PAC seems to be a safe and effective method in reducing IOP. This procedure might become the first treatment of choice for controlled CACG or PAC with cataract

Effect of right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain on all-cause death in patients with isolated severe tricuspid regurgitation and atrial fibrillation

BackgroundWith the aging population and advanced catheter-based therapy, isolated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) with atrial fibrillation (AF) has gained increased attention; however, data on the prognostic effect of isolated TR with AF are limited because of the small number of patients among those with severe TR. Recently, right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography has been reported as an excellent indicator of RV dysfunction in severe TR. However, the prognostic implications of RV longitudinal strain in isolated severe TR associated with AF remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the prognostic value of this index in this population.MethodsWe retrospectively studied patients with severe isolated TR associated with AF in the absence of other etiologies in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center between April 2015 and March 2018. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic data were studied including RV systolic function evaluated by RV free wall longitudinal strain (FWLS) and conventional parameters. All-cause death was defined as the primary endpoint.ResultsIn total, 53 patients (median age, 85 years; female, 60%) with a median follow-up of 433 (60–1567) days were included. Fourteen patients (26%) died, and 66% had right heart failure (RHF) symptoms. By multivariable analysis, reduced RVFWLS was independently associated with all-cause death. Patients with RVFWLS of ≤18% had higher risk of all-cause death adjusted for age (log-rank P = 0.030, adjusted hazard ratio 4.00, 95% confidence interval, 1.11–14.4; P = 0.034). When patients were stratified into four groups by RHF symptoms and RVFWLS, the group with symptomatic and reduced RVFWLS had the worst outcome.ConclusionReduced RVFWLS was independently associated with all-cause death in patients with isolated severe TR and AF. Our subset classification showed the worst outcome from the combination of RHF symptoms and reduced RVFWLS

Uncovering of major genetic factors generating naturally occurring variation in heading date among Asian rice cultivars

To dissect the genetic factors controlling naturally occurring variation of heading date in Asian rice cultivars, we performed QTL analyses using F2 populations derived from crosses between a japonica cultivar, Koshihikari, and each of 12 cultivars originating from various regions in Asia. These 12 diverse cultivars varied in heading date under natural field conditions in Tsukuba, Japan. Transgressive segregation was observed in 10 F2 combinations. QTL analyses using multiple crosses revealed a comprehensive series of loci involved in natural variation in flowering time. One to four QTLs were detected in each cross combination, and some QTLs were shared among combinations. The chromosomal locations of these QTLs corresponded well with those detected in other studies. The allelic effects of the QTLs varied among the cross combinations. Sequence analysis of several previously cloned genes controlling heading date, including Hd1, Hd3a, Hd6, RFT1, and Ghd7, identified several functional polymorphisms, indicating that allelic variation at these loci probably contributes to variation in heading date. Taken together, the QTL and sequencing results indicate that a large portion of the phenotypic variation in heading date in Asian rice cultivars could be generated by combinations of different alleles (possibly both loss- and gain-of-function) of the QTLs detected in this study

Church Growth in Japan

Yamane Hiroko. Church Growth in Japan. In: Archives de sciences sociales des religions, n°40, 1975. p. 294

Spae (Joseph) Les Chrétiens vus du Japon

Yamane Hiroko. Spae (Joseph) Les Chrétiens vus du Japon. In: Archives de sciences sociales des religions, n°46/2, 1978. p. 308

Circle of Harmony : a Case Study in Popular Japanese Buddhism

Yamane Hiroko. Circle of Harmony : a Case Study in Popular Japanese Buddhism. In: Archives de sciences sociales des religions, n°42, 1976. pp. 225-226

Religion in Changing Japanese Society

Yamane Hiroko. Religion in Changing Japanese Society. In: Archives de sciences sociales des religions, n°41, 1976. pp. 252-253

Bann (Lawrence A.) The Divine Hierarchy: Popular Hinduism in Central India

Yamane Hiroko. Bann (Lawrence A.) The Divine Hierarchy: Popular Hinduism in Central India. In: Archives de sciences sociales des religions, n°45/2, 1978. pp. 221-222