Improgan is an analog of the H(2) antagonist cimetidine that does not act on known histamine receptors, but induces highly effective analgesia in rodents following intracerebroventricular (icv) administration. Since the mechanism of action of this compound remains unknown, improgan analgesia was characterized presently with the tail immersion nociceptive test in mutant mice lacking either the m...

It is now generally recognized that upon activation by an agonist, β-arrestin associates with G protein-coupled receptors and acts as a scaffold in creating a diverse signaling network that could lead to adverse effects. As an approach to reducing side effects associated with κ opioid agonists, a series of β-naltrexamides 3-10 was synthesized in an effort to selectively target putative κ opioid...

The μ opioid receptor (MOR) and κ opioid receptor (KOR) have been implicated in pair-bond formation and maintenance in socially monogamous species. Utilizing monogamous titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus), the present study examined the potential role opioids play in modulating the response to separation, a potent challenge to the pair-bond. In Experiment 1, paired male titi monkeys were separate...

Mutations in the AGK gene are known to cause Sengers Syndrome, a rare recessive disorder characterized by congenital cataracts, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy, exercise intolerance and lactic acidosis with normal mental development. Since the first report in 1975 by Sengers et al. about 50 individuals have been described as having this syndrome. Here we report two novel mutation...

Aerobic organisms have a tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle that is functionally distinct from those found in anaerobic organisms. Previous reports indicate that the aerobic pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis lacks detectable alpha-ketoglutarate (KG) dehydrogenase activity and drives a variant TCA cycle in which succinyl-CoA is replaced by succinic semialdehyde. Here, we show that M. tuberculosis ...

A substantial number of species within the tooth-carp Aphanius Nardo, 1827 (Cyprinodontidae, Teleostei) has been recorded from the endorheic drainage systems of Iran, and several isolated populations in these systems may deserve species status. Descriptions of these species and populations have been based mainly on morphological and molecular data; however, the characters related to the fish sc...

Introduction: Genes often have multiple polymorphisms that interact with each other and the environment in different individuals. Variability in the opioid receptors can influence opiate withdrawal and dependence. In humans, A118G Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) on μ-Opioid Receptor (MOR), 36 G>T in κ-Opioid Receptor (KOR), and T921C in the δ-Opioid Receptor (DOR) have been...