[Neurotransmitter changes in the rat brain under combined intoxication induced by alcohol and morphine].

We investigated the levels of biogenic monoamines and their metabolites in the rat hypothalamus, midbrain and cerebellum in acute complex intoxication with morphine and alcohol. The distinctive features of neurotransmitter disorders in various parts of the rat brain under a single exposure to ethanol and morphine, as well as the differences between acute morphine-alcohol and alcohol-morphine intoxication were established. Complex intoxication with alcohol and morphine resulted in signs of dopamine consumption only in the hypothalamus, regardless of the order of alcohol and morphine administration.

[Neurotransmitter disturbances in some parts of the rat brain and their correction under chronic and intermittent alcohol intoxication].

The pool of key neuromediators and some neurotransmitter amino acids in cerebellum, hypothalamus and midbrain of rats exposed to chronic and different variants of interrupted alcohol intoxication was investigated. The most pronounced changes were recorded in midbrain. Chronic alcohol intoxication caused an increase in the concentrations of tyrosine, dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), noradrenaline, tryptophan, serotonin, GABA and aspartate in this part of the rat brain.

Ethanol binding sites on proteins.

This study is on the analysis of ethanol binding sites on 3D structures of nonredundant proteins from the Protein Data Bank. The only one amino acid residue that is significantly overrepresented around ethanol molecules is Tyr. There are usually two or more Tyr residues in the same ethanol binding site, while residues of Thr, Asp and Gln are underrepresented around them.

[Particularities of γ-aminobutyric acid metabolism in the liver of rats during different types of alcohol withdrawal].

Activities of GABA-catabolising enzymes and the contents of some amino acids have been studied in the liver of the rats with different types of alcohol cessation after its systemic administration. Intermittent alcohol intoxication was accompanied by activation of liver GABA catabolism in case of the lowest alcohol load. However ethanol in higher doses and prolongation of intermittent alcohol administration decreased GABA catabolism.

Intragenic isochores (intrachores) in the platelet phosphofructokinase gene of Passeriform birds.

Total GC-content in the platelet phosphofructokinase gene of Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is low (37.53±0.51%), while there are short areas (about 300 nucleotides in length) with increased GC-content overlapping its exon 4 and exon 17.