Evaluating the quality of multiple-choice question pilot database: A global educator-created tool for concept-based pharmacology learning.

The Core Concepts of Pharmacology (CCP) initiative is developing educational resources to transform pharmacology education into a concept-based approach. This study evaluated the quality of global educator-created MCQs in generating items for the pharmacology concept inventory (PCI) instrument and developed as a resource for learning pharmacology fundamental concepts. A panel of 22 global pharmacology experts recruited from the CCP initiative research team participated in the MCQ pilot database design and evaluation.

Comparative clinical evaluation of a local drug delivery of cranberry and garcinia fruit gel with tetracycline fibers for amelioration of periodontitis: A split mouth study.

Background: The present study formulates and evaluates a polyberry gel comprising extracts of cranberry () and brindle berry () in patients suffering from chronic periodontitis.

Materials And Methods: The polyberry gel was evaluated for various physicochemical parameters, permeability and stability, and the active phytoconstituents were quantified by High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Total phenolic content, total antioxidants, and ascorbic acid were estimated in the two extracts by assays.

Comparative evaluation of the efficacy of a novel tetracycline-coated suture with triclosan-coated and noncoated sutures on bacterial load reduction: A prospective study.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the common postoperative complications observed after various periodontal surgeries, and sutures play a vital role in its causation. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the efficacy of a novel tetracycline-coated suture with triclosan-coated and nonantibacterial-coated sutures on bacterial load reduction to prevent SSI by measuring the zone of inhibition.

Materials And Methods: Twenty systemically healthy individuals with moderate chronic periodontitis were included in this study.

Defining and unpacking the core concepts of pharmacology education.

Pharmacology education currently lacks a research-based consensus on which core concepts all graduates should know and understand, as well as a valid and reliable means to assess core conceptual learning. The Core Concepts in Pharmacology Expert Group (CC-PEG) from Australia and New Zealand recently identified a set of core concepts of pharmacology education as a first step toward developing a concept inventory-a valid and reliable tool to assess learner attainment of concepts. In the current study, CC-PEG used established methodologies to define each concept and then unpack its key components.

Identifying the core concepts of pharmacology education.

Pharmacology education currently lacks an agreed knowledge curriculum. Evidence from physics and biology education indicates that core concepts are useful and effective structures around which such a curriculum can be designed to facilitate student learning. Building on previous work, we developed a novel, criterion-based method to identify the core concepts of pharmacology education.

Embedding responsible conduct in learning and research into an Australian undergraduate curriculum.

Responsible conduct in learning and research (RCLR) was progressively introduced into the pharmacology curriculum for undergraduate science students at The University of Western Australia. In the second year of this undergraduate curriculum, a lecture introduces students to issues such as the use of animals in teaching and responsible conduct of research. Third year student groups deliver presentations on topics including scientific integrity and the use of human subjects in research.

Rhinovirus exacerbates house-dust-mite induced lung disease in adult mice.

Human rhinovirus is a key viral trigger for asthma exacerbations. To date, murine studies investigating rhinovirus-induced exacerbation of allergic airways disease have employed systemic sensitisation/intranasal challenge with ovalbumin. In this study, we combined human-rhinovirus infection with a clinically relevant mouse model of aero-allergen exposure using house-dust-mite in an attempt to more accurately understand the links between human-rhinovirus infection and exacerbations of asthma.

An evaluation of pharmacology curricula in Australian science and health-related degree programs.

Background: Pharmacology is a biomedical discipline taught in basic science and professional degree programs. In order to provide information that would facilitate pharmacology curricula to be refined and developed, and approaches to teaching to be updated, a national survey was undertaken in Australia that investigated pharmacology course content, teaching and summative assessment methods.

Methods: Twenty-two institutions participated in a purpose-built online questionnaire, which enabled an evaluation of 147 courses taught in 10 different degrees.

The mechanism of deep inspiration-induced bronchoprotection: evidence from a mouse model.

In healthy individuals, deep inspirations (DIs) taken prior to a bronchial challenge reduce the bronchoconstrictor response, which is termed "bronchoprotection". The mechanism(s) of DI-induced bronchoprotection is unclear. The forced oscillation technique was used to assess the effect of prior DI on subsequent bronchoconstriction to methacholine (MCh) in BALB/c mice.

Effects of simulated tidal and deep breathing on immature airway contraction to acetylcholine and nerve stimulation.

Background And Objective: In adults, respiratory movements, such as tidal and deep breaths, reduce airway smooth muscle force and cause bronchodilation. Evidence suggests that these beneficial effects of oscillatory strain do not occur in children, possibly because of reduced coupling of the airways to lung tissue or maturational differences in the intrinsic response of the airways to oscillatory strain.

Methods: The bronchodilator effects of oscillatory strain were compared in isolated airway segments from immature (3-4 weeks and 8-10 weeks old) and mature (18-20 weeks old) pigs.

Rho kinase as a therapeutic target in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Asthma is a complex inflammatory disease of the airways involving reversible bronchoconstriction. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is typified by inflammation and airflow limitation that has an irreversible component. There is now substantial evidence that Rho kinase is involved in many of the pathways that contribute to the pathologies associated with these respiratory diseases including bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation, airway remodelling, neuromodulation and exacerbations due to respiratory tract viral infection.

A Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, reduces cholinergic contraction but not neurotransmitter release.

This study examined the effects of the selective Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 [(+)-(R)-trans-4-(1-aminoethyl)-(4-pyridyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide dihydrochloride]) on cholinergic nerve-mediated contraction and neurotransmitter release in murine and guinea-pig isolated tracheal preparations. In tracheal preparations obtained from both species, Y-27632 shifted carbachol concentration-effect curves to the right and reduced the maximal contractile response. Repeated electrical field stimulation (EFS) evoked transient, consistent and reproducible contractions in murine and guinea-pig tracheal preparations.

The impact of respiratory syncytial virus infection on endothelin receptor function and release in sheep bronchial explants.

We investigated the impact of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, an important asthma precipitant, on endothelin receptor function and release in sheep bronchial explants. RSV infection was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Since sheep airway smooth muscle contains only endothelin-A receptors, sarafotoxin (Stx) S6c did not cause airway contraction.

The single mediator approach to asthma therapy: is it so unreasonable?

Asthma involves a complex syndrome of respiratory pathologies that ultimately results in bronchial obstruction and reduced lung ventilatory capacity. Inflammation of the respiratory tract underlies this disease and can be linked to the production and release of multiple mediators of bronchoconstriction and airway wall restructuring and obstruction. Disease triggers vary between patients and include allergens, exercise, inhaled irritants and virus infections.

Enhanced ET(A) receptor-mediated contractile function is associated with reduced ET(A) receptor density in sheep bronchial explants maintained in culture.

We are interested in developing an airway explant culture system using sheep bronchi in which to establish respiratory viral infection and from which tissue can be used for functional, biochemical and immunohistochemical studies involving the endothelins (ETs). Freshly harvested sheep bronchial airway smooth muscle contains a homogeneous population of the ET(A) receptor. However, the potency of ET-1 and maximum contractile response of sheep bronchial explants to ET-1 increased with time in culture, despite these parameters remaining constant for carbachol in explants maintained for up to 48 h.

Impact of parainfluenza-3 virus infection on endothelin receptor density and function in guinea pig airways.

We examined the impact of parainfluenza-3 (P-3) respiratory tract viral infection on the density and function of endothelin (ET) receptor subtypes (ET(A) and ET(B)) in guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle. Total specific binding of [(125)I]ET-1 and the relative proportions of ET(A) and ET(B) binding sites for this ligand were assessed at day 0 (control) and at 2, 4, 8 and 16 days post-inoculation. At day 0, the proportions of ET(A) and ET(B) binding sites were 30% and 70% respectively.

Airway nerves: detection and visualisation.

The importance of understanding the roles of nerves in regulating lung function cannot be overestimated if we are to successfully address the therapeutic management of respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Critical to this understanding is a more complete appreciation of airway innervation patterns, densities and functions. Accordingly, there is increasing demand for cost-effective techniques that enable the detection and visualisation of airway nerves.