cAMP Response Element-Binding Protein Is Essential for the Upregulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Transcription, But Not the Behavioral or Endocrine Responses to Antidepressant Drugs

Antidepressant drugs activate the cAMP signal transduction pathway through a variety of monoamine neurotransmitter receptors. Recently, molecular studies have identified a role for cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the mechanism of action of chronically administered antidepressant drugs. However, the function of CREB in the behavioral and endocrine responses to these drugs has not been thoroughly investigated. We have used CREB-deficient mice to study the effects of two antidepressants, desipramine (DMI) and fluoxetine (FLX), in behavioral, endocrine, and molecular analyses. Behaviorally, CREB-deficient mice and wild-type mice respond similarly to DMI and FLX administration in the forced swim test and tail suspension test. Furthermore, the ability of DMI to suppress an acute corticosterone response after swim stress is maintained in CREB-deficient mice. However, upregulation of a molecular target of CREB, BDNF, is abolished in the CREBdeficient mice after chronic administration of DMI. These data are the first to demonstrate that CREB activation is upstream of BDNF mechanistically in response to antidepressant drug treatment. Therefore, although behavioral and endocrine responses to antidepressants may occur by CREB-independent mechanisms, CREB is critical to target gene regulation after chronic drug administration, which may contribute to long-term adaptations of the system to antidepressant drug treatment

Anatomical repair of congenitally corrected transposition in the fifth decade of life

Successful repair of congenitally corrected transposition with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis presenting with heart failure in the fifth decade of life is described. This is the oldest patient to undergo this surgery, as per existing literature

Outcome of four pretreatment regimes on hemodynamics during electroconvulsive therapy: A double-blind randomized controlled crossover trial

Context: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is associated with tachycardia and hypertension. Aims: The aim of this study was to compare two doses of dexmedetomidine, esmolol, and lignocaine with respect to hemodynamics, seizure duration, emergence agitation (EA), and recovery profile. Methodology: Thirty patients undergoing ECT were assigned to each of the following pretreatment regimes over the course of five ECT sessions in a randomized crossover design: Group D1 (dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg), Group D0.5 (dexmedetomidine0.5 μg/kg), Group E (esmolol 1 mg/kg), Group L (lignocaine 1 mg/kg), and Group C (saline as placebo) before induction. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), seizure duration, EA, and time to discharge were evaluated. Results: Groups D1, D0.5, and esmolol had significantly reduced response of HR, MAP compared to lignocaine and control groups at 1, 3, 5 min after ECT (P 0.05). Time to eye opening and time to discharge were comparable in all groups (P > 0.05) except Group D1 (P = 0.001). EA score was least in Group D1 (P = 0.000). Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg, 0.5 μg/kg, and esmolol produced significant amelioration of cardiovascular response to ECT without affecting seizure duration, results being best with dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg. However, the latter has the shortcoming of delayed recovery

Comparative analysis of liquid hydrodynamics in a co-current flow-through bubble column with densely packed internals via radiotracing and Radioactive Particle Tracking (RPT)

Bubble column reactors are widely used for gas-liquid operations and most often are fitted with vertical internals for appropriate heat transfer. Apart from these applications, cylindrical vessels with concentrically installed vertical tube bundles find major use in boiling water reactors. Most often, heat removal takes place in boiling water reactors by phase change of the flowing water, which results in a complex, axially developing and highly dynamic two-phase flow pattern. Though the hydrodynamics in a bubble column with vertical internals have been addressed in few publications, the characteristics of liquid phase mixing and turbulence over a wide range of operating conditions and dense configuration of the internals have not been reported thus far. The present communication addresses the hydrodynamic characteristics in bubble column equipped with dense internals over a wide range of superficial gas and liquid velocities. Experiments were performed using the air-water system in a 120 mm I.D. bubble column with, and without internals, by varying the percent cross-sectional area covered by the internals. A non-invasive Radioactive Particle Tracking (RPT) method has been employed for estimating the hydrodynamic parameters and mixing characteristics have also been investigated using residence time distribution (RTD) studies with radiotracers. The experimental results obtained in this work indicates that the configuration of the heat exchanger internals, superficial gas, and liquid velocities have a strong effect on liquid phase hydrodynamics and mixing characteristics.by Dinesh V. Kalaga, Ashutosh Yadav, Sunil Goswami, Vishal Bhusare, Harish J. Pant, Sameer V. Dalvi, Jyeshtharaj B. Joshi, and Shantanu Ro