We present an effective, engaging, and fun method for teaching how the use or misuse of antibiotics can select for resistant strains of bacteria. This method uses candy as a substitute for strains of bacteria varying in resistance to a given antibiotic. Results and discussion are presented in the context of this emerging healthcare crisis.

Human beings vary in their responses to the drugs prescribed to them. These variations can be due to differences in their age, gender, weight, health status, diet, concurrent therapy and genetic make-up. Recently, it has been estimated that 85% of a patient's response to drugs is due to the genetic make-up of the individual (Snedden, 1999).…

Many students require prescription and nonprescription medication to be administered during the school day for chronic and acute illnesses. School office staff members are typically delegated this task, yet these individuals are unlicensed assistive personnel without medical training. Five school nurses developed and participated in a medication…

Objective: The authors determine whether Massachusetts General Hospital's residency graduates believed their training reflected their current practice activities. Method: The authors surveyed 134 graduates from MGH and MGH-McLean residency classes from 1983 to 2003. Subjects ranked their satisfaction with different components of training on a…

Recent advances in the understanding of the mechanism of action and clinical pharmacology of the new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help practitioners decide which to use and how to administer them. Indications for and effects of NSAIDs are described. (MT)

Neuroscience is a relatively new discipline encompassing neurology, psychology and biology. It has made great strides in the last 100 years, during which many aspects of the physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology and structure of the vertebrate brain have been understood. Understanding of some of the basic perceptual, cognitive, attentional,…

Objective: The current generation of clinical trials in pediatric psychiatry often fails to maximize clinical utility for practicing clinicians, thereby diluting its impact. Method: To attain maximum clinical relevance and acceptability, the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Trials Network (CAPTN) will transport to pediatric psychiatry the practical…

Researches suggest that two agonists can bind to the same binding site of an important transmembrane protein and elicit a biological response through strikingly different binding interactions. Evidence is provided which suggests two possible types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist binding like acetlycholine (cholinergic) or like nicotine…

Objective: Psychiatric care in many rural communities has been demonstrated to be less adequate compared with urban environments partially because of attitudes and stigmatization issues. Educated pharmacists with professional attitudes can have a major impact in helping mental health patients receive more accurate diagnostic assessments and safe…

We report findings from the second phase of a study of co-operative, group-based assessment in Pharmacology for second-year undergraduates at The University of Queensland, Australia. Students (n = 285) enrolled in the 2006 Bachelor of Science degree program completed a group-based assessment task (weighted 10% of their course). Blended teaching…

PRINCE2, which stands for Projects in Controlled Environments, is a project management method covering the organisation, management, and control of projects and is widely used in both government and commercial IT and building projects in the UK. This paper describes the application of PRINCE2 to the management of large clinical trials…

Objective: A review of amphetamine treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was conducted, to obtain information on the long-term neurological consequences of this therapy. Method: Several databases were accessed for research articles on the effects of amphetamine in the brain of laboratory animals and ADHD diagnosed…

Review of neurochemical investigations in autistic disorder revealed that a wide array of transmitter systems have been studied, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, oxytocin, endogenous opioids, cortisol, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These studies have been complicated by the fact that autism is a very…

Using pharmacological techniques, it has been demonstrated that both consolidation and extinction of Pavlovian fear conditioning are dependent to some extent upon L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LVGCCs). Although these studies have successfully implicated LVGCCs in Pavlovian fear conditioning, they do not provide information about the…

Nine brief onsite educational sessions of 10-20 minutes each trained nurses in pain management techniques. Participants recognized the value of brief presentations, but wanted more time to learn the material. The content was made available on disk for further study. (SK)