We investigated the association between two markers in the seventh intron of the tryptophan hydroxylase gene (TPH C218A and C779A) in a population-based case control study of 780 genotyped subjects. As in prior studies, the two markers were in strong linkage disequilibrium. The phenotypes we studied were smoking initiation and progression to nicotine dependence. Allele, genotype, and estimated ...

Serotonin (5HT) is a pivotal signaling molecule that modulates behavioral and endocrine responses to diverse chemical and physical stimuli. We report cell-specific regulation of 5HT biosynthesis by transient receptor potential V (TRPV) ion channels in C. elegans. Mutations in the TRPV genes osm-9 or ocr-2 dramatically downregulate the expression of the gene encoding the 5HT synthesis enzyme try...

Parkinson disease (PD) is characterized by selective loss of the dopaminergic neurons. The symptoms of depression following PD are closely associated with reduced activity of the serotonergic system in the dorsal raphe. We explored the antidepressive effect of exercise and its possible mechanism using the rotenone-induced PD rats. PD rats were induced by subcutaneously injection with rotenone f...

A study on the bioremediation potentials of the earthworm Hyperiodrilus africanus (Beddard) in soil contaminated with crude oil was investigated. Dried and sieved soils were contaminated with 5 ml each of crude oil with replicates and inoculated with earthworms and monitored daily for 12 weeks. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, total organic carbon, sulfate, nitrate, phosphate, sodium, pot...

Using monoanionic triazenide ligands derived from biphenyl and m-terphenyl substituted triazenes Dmp(Tph)N3H (1a), (Me4Ter)2N3H (1b) or Dmp(Mph)N3H (1c) (Dmp = 2,6-Mes2C6H3 with Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2; Me4Ter = 2,6-(3,5-Me2C6H3)2C6H3; Mph = 2-MesC6H4; Tph = 2-TripC6H4 with Trip = 2,4,6-i-Pr3C6H2), several magnesium triazenides were synthesized. Heteroleptic complexes [Mg(N3Ar2)I(OEt2)] (Ar2 = Dmp/...

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of distilled water, artificial saliva and ethanol on the tensile strength of direct tooth-coloured restorative material. METHODS The study was conducted at Dr. Ishrat ul Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi, from April 2011 to September 2012. The testing was performed at the Pakistan Council of Scientifi...

The application of water washing technology for recycling an organic composite solvent consisting of hexane and pentane (4:1; TU-A solvent) was investigated for extracting total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) from contaminated soil. The effects of water volume, water temperature, washing time and initial concentration of solvent were evaluated using orthogonal experiments followed by single facto...

Since its identification, 75 years ago, the monoamine serotonin (5-HT) has attracted considerable attention toward its role as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Yet, increasing evidence, from a growing number of research groups, substantiates the fact that 5-HT regulates important nonneuronal functions. Peripheral 5-HT, synthesized by the enzyme tryptophan hydroxyase (Tph) in in...

Ecotoxicology is primarily concerned with predicting the effects of toxic substances on the biological components of the ecosystem. In remote, high latitude environments such as Antarctica, where field work is logistically difficult and expensive, and where access to adequate numbers of soil invertebrates is limited and response times of biota are slow, appropriate modeling tools using microbia...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy on the diagnosis of secondary caries-like lesions simulated on esthetic restorations of different materials, changing the incidence vertical angle (IVA) of the x-ray beam. Twenty human teeth received MOD inlay preparations. In the experimental group (n=10), a round cavity was made in the floor of the proximal box to simulate the caries-like les...