Mice deficient for G-protein-coupled receptor 75 display altered presynaptic structural protein expression and disrupted fear conditioning recall.

There are a number of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are considered "orphan receptors" because the information on their known ligands is incomplete. Yet, these receptors are important targets to characterize, as the discovery of their ligands may lead to potential new therapies. GPR75 was recently deorphanized because at least two ligands appear to bind to it, the chemokine CCL5 and the eicosanoid 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid.

Cholinergic Receptor Blockade in the VTA Attenuates Cue-Induced Cocaine-Seeking and Reverses the Anxiogenic Effects of Forced Abstinence.

Drug relapse after periods of abstinence is a common feature of substance abuse. Moreover, anxiety and other mood disorders are often co-morbid with substance abuse. Cholinergic receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are known to mediate drug-seeking and anxiety-related behavior in rodent models.

Evaluating oral flavorant effects on nicotine self-administration behavior and phasic dopamine signaling.

Understanding how tobacco product flavor additives, such as flavorants in electronic cigarettes, influence smoking behavior and addiction is critical for informing public health policy decisions regarding tobacco product regulation. Here, we developed a combined intraoral (i.o.

Unified reaction pathways for the prebiotic formation of RNA and DNA nucleobases.

The reaction pathways for the prebiotic formation of nucleobases are complex and lead to the formation of a mixture of products. In the past 50 years, there has been a concerted effort for identifying a unified mechanism for the abiotic origin of the biomolecules but with little success. In the present theoretical study, we identified two prominent precursors for the building up of RNA and DNA nucleobases under prebiotic conditions: (a) 1,2-diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN), which is a tetramer of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and (b) formamide, a hydrolysis product of HCN; it is important to emphasize that HCN is the source of both precursors.