Attitudes of 8-year program medical students to concept mapping after the pharmacology teaching/learning practice and analysis of the learning readiness for students / 基础医学与临床

Concept mapping is a new method to help learners organizing their knowledge with a visual semantic net-work. In the process of pharmacology teaching concept mapping are used as a teaching tool and a learning tool, respectively. Then a survey was conducted on 8-year program medical students to obtain information regarding students attitude towards concept mapping in pharmacology teaching and learning as well as their learning readiness. The authors hope the information may play a direction role for the teaching activity in the future and make Pharmacology teaching contents and methods meet the knowledge requirement and learning readiness of medical students.

Therapeutic Effect of Carboxyamidotriazole on Adjuvant Arthritis in Rats / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of carboxyamidotriazole (CAI) on adjuvant arthritis (AA) in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rats were randomly divided into normal group,two vehicle groups (polyethylene glycol 400 control and normal sodium control group), CAI-treated groups (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) and positive control dexamethasone group. Freund's completed adjuvant was used to induce AA in rats. The arthritis index (AI) was scored, and X-ray check of the hind limbs and histopathological examination were performed. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in the inflamed paw tissues were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The administration of CAI significantly decreased the AI, restored the body weights, and ameliorated the radiological and histopathological features of joint destruction in AA rats (P<0.05, P<0.01). In addition, CAI reduced the TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels in the inflamed paw tissues (P<0.05, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CAI has therapeutic effect on AA rats, which may be achieved by decreasing the pro-inflammatory cytokines at the site of inflammation.</p>

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic potency of carboxyamidotriazole, a tumoristatic agent / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of carboxyamidotriazole (CAI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A variety of animal models, including the croton oil-induced ear edema, the cotton-induced granuloma, the rat adjuvant-induced arthritis, were used to evaluate anti-inflammatory effect of CAI. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)--or histamine-stimulated local vascular permeability in mouse modulated by CAI was also determined. In addition, we assessed the effect of CAI on the levels of proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-beta) at the site of inflammation and in sera. Moreover, antinociceptive effect of CAI on inflammatory pain was assessed using acetic acid-induced writhing model and the formalin test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CAI significantly inhibited acute and chronic phases of inflammation, reduced VEGF or histamine-induced vascular permeability, and showed marked inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta. CAI also showed potential therapeutic effect on peripheral inflammatory pain.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CAI is a promising anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent.</p>

Activation of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels by oxyphenamone in rabbit mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the effects of oxyphenamone (Oxy) on activation of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in rabbit mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>To measure the effect of Oxy on the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel (BK (Ca) channel) activity in rabbit mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells by using whole cell patch clamp techniques.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Oxy reversibly increase BK (Ca) channel activity in rabbit mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells. Application of Oxy (0.1 mumol.L-1) to the perfusion solution caused significant increase in outward currents and its effect was completely abolished by washout; The outward currents K+ was inhibited by TEA (7.5 mmol.L-1); Oxy activated the BK (Ca) channel in a dose-dependent manner (0.01-10 mumol.L-1).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Oxy directly increase the activity of BK (Ca) channel activity in rabbit mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells in dose-dependent manner.</p>

Effect of G protein in the dual regulation of opioid receptor agonist on the delayed rectified potassium channels / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the role of G protein in the dual regulation of opioid receptor agonist on the delayed rectified potassium channels.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques applied to NG108-15 cells, investigate the effect of opioid receptor agonist on the delayed rectified potassium channels by administration of Guanosine-5'-0'-2-thiociphosphate (GDP beta S), Pertusis Toxin (PTX), Tetroacetic acid nueleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) and Adenosine-3' 5' cyclic monophosphate cAMP in the pipette solution.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) GDP beta S could block the changes induced by both high and low concentration of (D-Pen2.5)-enkephalin (DPDPE) (P < 0.05). (2) PTX could inhibit the excitative regulation on K+ channel by high concentration of DPDPE (P < 0.05). But CTX had no effect on K+ channel caused by DPDPE. (3) UDP could block the excitative effect of K+ channel by high concentration of NDPK, while have no changes on the inhibitory effect caused by low concentration of opioid agonists. (4) cAMP took part in the regulation in high concentration of agonist administration (P < 0.05), while no changes for low concentration of agonists.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Dual changes were observed on delayed rectifier potassium channel by agonist treatment on NG108-15 cells. The excitative effect was Gi/o coupled in high concentration of agonist incubation, related to cAMP. While the inhibitory effect was possibly induced by G protein beta gamma subunit directly.</p>

Binding characteristics of new synthesized opioid receptor ligands to cloned mu opioid receptors stably expressed in CHO cell / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the affinity of new opioid receptor ligands to cloned mu opioid receptors stably expressed in CHO cell.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The binding characteristics of the opioid ligand [3H] diprenorphine (3H-dip) were studied by cellular biological techniques and radioligands binding in cloned mu opioid receptors stably expressed in CHO cells in saturation binding experiments, and were followed by competition binding experiments with a variety of new synthesized opioid receptor ligands.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The Kd and Bmax of [3H] diprenorphine bound to mu receptors were 1.06 nmol/L and 930 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Competition binding experiments revealed that ligand 3# and 12# displayed much higher affinity than DAMGO and Morphine for the cloned mu opioid receptor. However, the affinities of ligands 2#, 6#, 8# and 9# were lower than DAMGO and Morphine.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The present results suggest that the new ligands 3# and 12# have higher affinity to mu opioid receptors. However, ligands 2#, 6#, 8# and 9# have lower affinity to mu opioid receptors.</p>

Dual regulation by delta opioid receptor agonists on the delayed rectified potassium channels in NG108-15 cells / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the dual effects by the delta opioid receptor agonists DPDPE on the delayed rectified potassium channels in NG108-15 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A series of outward currents were evoked in NG108-15 cells by depolarizing voltage from -50 mV to +80 mV at holding potential of -90 mV. These currents were delayed rectified potassium currents. Relatively selected delta opioid receptor agonists DPDPE of higher and lower concentrations were used to modulate the delayed rectified K+ current in NG108-15 cells. Opioid receptor antagonist Naloxone (NAL) and relatively selected delta opioid receptor antagonist Naltrindole (NTI) were used in the present experiments for the characterization of the actions of opioid receptors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The relatively higher concentrations of delta opioid receptor agonist DPDPE (> or = 10(-6) mol/L) significantly increased the amplitude of the delayed rectified K+ current. On the contrary, the relatively lower concentrations of DPDPE (< or = 10(-12) mol/L) decreased the amplitude of the delayed rectified K+ current (P < 0.05). Furthermore both the increase and decrease were time-dependent.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>delta opioid receptor agonist has dual regulatory effects on the delayed rectified potassium channels in NG108-15 cells.</p>