Neuroactive steroids are synthesized de novo in brain, yet their physiological significance remains elusive. We provide biochemical, electrophysiological, and behavioral evidence that several specific actions of alcohol (ethanol) are mediated by the neurosteroid 3a-hydroxy-5a-pregnan-20-one (3a,5a-THP; allopregnanolone). Systemic alcohol administration elevates 3a,5a-THP levels in the cerebral ...

3a-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/carbonyl reductase (3a-HSD/CR) from Comamonas testosteroni, a bacterium that is able to grow on steroids as the sole carbon source, catalyzes the oxidoreduction at position 3 of a variety of C19–27 steroids and the carbonyl reduction of a variety of nonsteroidal aldehydes and ketones. The gene of this steroid-inducible 3a-HSD/CR was cloned by screening a C. testo...

Wnts stimulate cell migration, although the mechanisms responsible for this effect are not fully understood. To investigate the pathways that mediate Wnt-dependent cell motility, we treated Chinese hamster ovary cells with Wnt-3a-conditioned medium and monitored changes in cell shape and movement. Wnt-3a induced cell spreading, formation of protrusive structures, reorganization of stress fibers...

BACKGROUND Determination of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype distributed in a particular area has an important role on public health throughout the world. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of HCV genotypes in Azerbaijani patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS From March 2010 until March 2012, 235 Azerbaijani patients with established chronic hepatitis C, referred t...

The 5-HT(3) receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel expressed on interneurons throughout the brain. So far, analysis of the 5-HT(3A) knockout mouse revealed changes in nociceptive processing and a reduction in anxiety related behavior. Recently, it was shown that the 5-HT(3) receptor is also expressed on Cajal-Retzius cells which play a key role in cortical development and that knockout mice lac...

The purpose of this study was to obtain normal hearing thresholds for an ER-3A insert earphone as a contribution for future standardization and for comparison with previous studies and interim ANSI and ISO insert earphone reference equivalent threshold sound pressure levels (RETSPLs). Hearing thresholds were obtained on each ear of 48 normal-hearing subjects from 125 to 8000 Hz using ER-3A and ...

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Despite concerted efforts to improve current therapies and develop novel clinical approaches, patient survival remains poor. As such, increasing attention has focused on developing new therapeutic strategies that specifically target the apoptotic pathway in order to improve treatment responses. Recent...

5-Alkyl-6-(substituted benzyl)-2-thiouracils 3a,c were reacted with (2-chloroethyl) diethylamine hydrochloride to afford the corresponding 2-(2-diethylamino)ethylthiopyrimidin- 4(3H)-ones 4a,b. Reaction of 3a-c with N-(2-chloroethyl)pyrrolidine hydrochloride and/or N-(2-chloroethyl)piperidine hydrochloride gave the corresponding 2-[2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)ethyl]-thiopyrimidin-4(3H)-ones 5a-c and 2-[...

Wnts stimulate cell migration, although the mechanisms responsible for this effect are not fully understood. To investigate the pathways that mediate Wnt-dependent cell motility, we treated Chinese hamster ovary cells with Wnt-3a-conditioned medium and monitored changes in cell shape and movement. Wnt-3a induced cell spreading, formation of protrusive structures, reorganization of stress fibers...