Great Ideas in Biomedical Science from General Chemistry II

• Nonsteroidal Anti-infammatory Drugs (NSAID’s):  1) Mechanism of action for NSAID’s to interdict inflammation; 2) Relationship between COX-2 selective inhibitors and nonspecific COX inhibitors; 3) Mechanism of action for enzyme inhibition that is unique to aspirin; 4) Underlying rationale for the development of COX-2 inhibitors; 5) Current issues associated with COX-2 inhibitors

• Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories:  1) Steroid’s role in interdicting the inflammatory process; 2) The molecular mechanism of action through which steroids significantly alter biochemical processes; 3) Polarity of steroidal molecules and role/orientation of cholesterol in membranes; 4) Source of steroid molecules in body; 5) Structure of zinc fingers and their role in steroidal mechanism of action

• Neuroscience: 1) Mechanism for transmission of signals across the synapse; 2) Understanding of membrane voltages associated with nerve cells and the underlying reasons for these; 3) Mechanisms through which neurotransmitter levels are lowered after nerve signaling; 4) Understanding of relative intracellular/extracellular concentrations of major ions; 5) Understanding of nerve impulse transmission along an axon; 6) sodium and potassium ion channels and underlying reasons for selectivity of each

• Receptors, Neurotransmitters and Hormones: 1) Mechanism of action for cholinergic nicotinic and muscarinic receptors respectively; 2) Role of GABA and glycine receptors and the associated electrochemical basis for their mechanism of action; 3) Opioid receptors, naturally occurring and synthetic agonists, and underlying mechanism of action; 4) Local anesthetics and their mechanism of action; 5) General anesthetics mechanism of action; 6) Route of synthesis for dopamine and associated structures at physiological pH; 7) Adrenergic receptors and effects for each; 8) Adrenergic neurotransmitters; 9) Role of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors as nerve agents and for treating Alzheimer’s Disease

• Environmental Health:  1) Role of stratospheric ozone in human health; 2) Mechanisms for the depletion of stratospheric ozone; 3) Role of tropospheric ozone in human health; 4) Mechanism for the formation of ground-level summertime ozone; 5) Major pollutants emitted by internal combustion engines and the various adverse impacts of each of these upon human health; 6) Electromagnetic radiation, photodecomposition and altitude; 7) Production of NO by heat sources and adverse health impacts associated with NO and downstream pollutants formed from NO.