Gonadal steroid feedback to oxytocin neurons during pregnancy is in part mediated via the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (3alpha-OH-DHP), acting as allosteric modulator of postsynaptic gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptors. We describe here a form of nongenomic progesterone signaling by showing that 3alpha-OH-DHP not only potentiates GABA(A) receptor-channel activity but also preven...

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant ECS-9904378. Abstract: In this paper we show the applicability of the Dual Heuristic Programming (DHP) method of Approximate Dynamic Programming to parameter tuning of a fuzzy control system. DHP and related techniques have been developed in the neurocontrol context but can be equally productive when used with fuzzy controll...

Multidrug resistance can result from several factors and processes. Some types of multidrug resistance (MDR) were recognized whose patterns differ from pattern of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) associated MDR in several important ways. Although, there is limited evidence for effect of DHP on atypical MDR; based on some observations like noncompetitive inhibition of topoisomerase I by a DHP derivative (De...

The dihydropyridine (DHP) receptor of normal skeletal muscle is hypothesized to function as the voltage sensor for excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling, and also as the calcium channel underlying a slowly activating, DHP-sensitive current (termed ICa-s). Skeletal muscle from mice with muscular dysgenesis lacks both E-C coupling and ICa-s. However, dysgenic skeletal muscle does express a small ...

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are naturally occurring genotoxic chemicals produced by a large number of plants. The high toxicity of many pyrrolizidine alkaloids has caused considerable loss of free-ranging livestock due to liver and pulmonary lesions. Chronic exposure of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids to laboratory animals induces cancer. This investigation studies the metabolic activation of retrors...

Important gender differences in mood disorders result in a greater susceptibility for women. Accumulating evidence suggests a reciprocal modulation between the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system and neuroactive steroids. Previous data from our laboratory have shown that during pregnancy, the firing activity of 5-HT neurons increases in parallel with progesterone levels. This study was undertaken...

BACKGROUND Acute exacerbation (AE) of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has an extremely poor prognosis. Direct hemoperfusion with a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP) has been used to improve oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome. The study aim was to retrospectively determine the predictive factors affecting the prognosis of AE of IPF treated with PMX-DHP. METHOD...

BACKGROUND This study aimed to synthesize available evidence on the efficacy of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHP) in treating uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria in people living in endemic countries. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS This is a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT). We searched relevant studies in electronic databases up to May 2013. RCTs comparing effica...

in order to determine the most effective hormones on the in vitro oocyte maturation (germinal vesicle breakdown - gvbd) in a hybrid sturgeon bester, ovarian follicles were incubated at the migratory nucleus stage in the presence of several steroids, gonadotropin preparations and forskolin. occurrence of gvbd and 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3 -one (dhp) production were followed during an expe...

Novel 4-(4-substituted phenyl)-5-(3,4,5-trimethoxy/3,4-dimethoxy)-benzoyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-one/thione derivatives (DHP1-9) were designed, synthesized, characterized and evaluated for antitumor activity against cancer stem cells. The compounds were synthesized in one pot. Enaminones E1 and E2 were reacted with substituted benzaldehydes and urea/thiourea in the presence of glacial acet...