Academic Postcards

Scan 8

Dr. Ming-Tsuen Hsieh at a research talk in Beijing in October 2000

Before the Internet, academics used to send each other postcards to request copies of papers. Below are some of the postcards Dr. Ming-Tsuen Hsieh received from academics and their institutions, dating back to the 1980s.

Some of the following postcards feature the two following papers, which are both available on the Internet Archive today.

  • Hsieh, M.T. (1982). The involvement of monoaminergic and GABAergic systems in locomotor inhibition produced by clobazam and diazepam in rats. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy and Toxicology, 20(5), 227-235. [Ref PubMed] [Ref BL] [IA] [PDF]
    Abstract
    The effects of 1,5-benzodiazepine clobazam and diazepam were evaluated with regard to behavioral locomotor changes in rats. A concurrent focus of investigation was whether or not both benzodiazepines interact with central monoaminergic and GABAergic mechanisms. Diazepam was more active than clobazam in reducing locomotor activity. The stimulation of locomotor activity induced by L-dopa plus benserazide, and methamphetamine was significantly counteracted by diazepam but unaffected by clobazam. Hypomotility produced by alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine was markedly augmented with both drugs. Locomotor suppression elicited by 5-HTP, activating central serotoninergic transmission, was more potently reversed by clobazam than by diazepam. In addition, arousal behavior produced by p-CPA, inactivating central serotoninergic transmission, was completely abolished by both drugs. Furthermore, in combination with AOAA, known to inhibit motor activity, diazepam had a synergistic effect, and picrotoxin-produced suppression was significantly antagonized by diazepam. Both benzodiazepines thus may exert their behavioral depressant effects by reducing catecholaminergic and serotoninergic activity, and also by promoting GABA-mediated inhibition in the central nervous system. Clobazam is more effective than diazepam in reducing serotoninergic activity, but less effective in reducing catecholaminergic activity and increasing GABAergic activity.
  • Hsieh, M., Chen, H., Hsu, P., & Shibuya, T. (1986). Effects of Suanzaorentang on behavior changes and central monoamines. Proceedings of the National Science Council, Republic of China. Part B, Life Sciences, 10(1), 43–48. [Ref NCL] [Ref PubMed] [IA] [PDF]
    Abstract
    Previously, it was found that the ancient Chinese remedy of Suanzaorentang could be a promising anxiolytic drug (Chen and Hsieh, 1985a, Chen and Hsieh, 1985b). To understand the mechanism of the action of Suanzaorentang, the effects of Suanzaorentang on behavior changes and central monoamines and their metabolites were studied in rats. It was found that Suanzaorentang significantly
    • (1) prolonged the period from the onset of clonic to tonic convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazol or picrotoxin,
    • (2) prolonged the sleep duration induced by hexobarbital,
    • (3) reduced locomotor activity,
    • (4) enhanced the hypomotility induced by alpha-MT,
    • (5) reduced the locomotor stimulation produced by levodopa plus benserazide, and
    • (6) reduced central HVA, VMA, and 5-HIAA, but had no significant effects on central DA, NA, and 5-HT.
    These facts implied that Suanzaorentang decreased the turnover rate of central monoamines and central catecholaminergic activity.
    謝明村、陳和昌、許博厚、澁谷健 (1986)。酸棗仁湯對於大白鼠行為及中樞單胺濃度之影響。行政院國家科學委員會研究彙刊 B：生命科學，10:1 1986.01 [民 75.01]，43-48。
    Abstract (Chinese)
    著者等於前報會報告我國古方《酸棗仁湯》是一個很好的抗焦慮藥物。爲探討酸棗仁湯之作用機轉，吾等研究其對於大白鼠行爲及中樞單胺濃度之影響。本研究結果發現酸棗仁湯可以有意義地
    • （1）延長—pentylenetetrazol 或 picrotoxin 所引起陣攣性驚厥到強直性驚厥之時間，
    • （2）延長 Hexobarbital 所引起之睡眠時間，
    • （3）減少自發運動量，
    • （4）增加由 α-MT 所引起運動量抑制作用，
    • （5）減少由 Levodopa 加 Benserazide 所引起自發運動量之亢進作用，與
    • （6）減少中樞腦内 HVA，VMA 與 5-HIAA 之濃度，但對於中樞腦内 DA，NA 與 5-HT 則無影響。
    由以上之結果顯示，酸棗仁湯之鎮靜、抗痙攣作用，與降低中樞單胺之轉換速率與兒茶胺系統之活性有關。

University of London

London, United Kingdom

University of Chicago

Chicago IL, United States

KRKA Pharmaceutical and Chemical Works

Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia (!)

Rockefeller University

New York NY, United States

University of Alberta

Edmonton AB, Canada

Concordia University

Montréal QC, Canada

Duke University

Durham NC, United States

Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Philadelphia PA, United States

Pharmaceutical Research Institute

Prague, Czechoslovakia (!)

Yale University

New Haven CT, United States

University of Los Angeles

Los Angeles CA, United States

Henry Ford Hospital

Detroit MI, United States

Full Postcard Album

All of Dr. Ming-Tsuen Hsieh's postcards are available on the Internet Archive.