Establishment of a Simple and Versatile Evaporation Compensation Model for Chronic Ethanol Treatment: Impact on Neuronal Viability.

Alcohol overconsumption is a major cause of preventable mental disorders and death in the United States and around the world. The pathogenesis of alcohol dependence, abuse, and toxicity to the central nervous system remains incompletely understood. In vitro and cell culture-based models have been highly valuable in studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the contribution of individual CNS cell types to ethanol's effects on the brain.

Binge ethanol consumption-associated behavioral impairments in male mice using a gelatin-based drinking-in-the dark model.

Background: Acute intoxication caused by binge ethanol drinking is linked to widespread impairments in brain functions. Various alcohol administration paradigms have been used in animals to model the heterogeneous clinical manifestation of intoxication in people. It is challenging to model a procedure that produces "visible intoxication" in rodents; however, manipulation of variables such as route of alcohol administration, time of availability, frequency, and duration and amount of ethanol exposure has achieved some success.

Chronic Voluntary Binge Ethanol Consumption Causes Sex-Specific Differences in Microglial Signaling Pathways and Withdrawal-associated Behaviors in Mice.

Background: Microglia are the resident immune cells in the brain where they play essential roles in the development and maintenance of physiological functions of this organ. Aberrant activation of microglia is speculated to be involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of neurological disorders, including alcohol use disorders. Repeated binge ethanol (EtOH) consumption can have a profound impact on the function and integrity of the brain resulting in changes in behaviors such as withdrawal and reward.

GC-MS analysis of bioactive compounds in the methanol extract of Clerodendrum viscosum leaves.

Background: Clerodendrum viscosum is commonly found in India and Bangladesh. Previously, various parts of this plant were reported for treatment of different types of diseases and there was no report on GC-Ms analysis.

Objective: To analyze and characterize the phytochemical compounds of methanol extract of Clerodendrum viscosum using GC-MS.

Metabolism via Arginase or Nitric Oxide Synthase: Two Competing Arginine Pathways in Macrophages.

Macrophages play a major role in the immune system, both as antimicrobial effector cells and as immunoregulatory cells, which induce, suppress or modulate adaptive immune responses. These key aspects of macrophage biology are fundamentally driven by the phenotype of macrophage arginine metabolism that is prevalent in an evolving or ongoing immune response. M1 macrophages express the enzyme nitric oxide synthase, which metabolizes arginine to nitric oxide (NO) and citrulline.