Probable fluoxetine-induced hepatomegaly: a case report

Depressive disorder is a common behavioural, psychiatric disorder. Among various antidepressants selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are preferred drugs for the treatment of depression. When second-generation antidepressants SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are used to treat depression, 0.5–1% of patients develop mildly altered liver function without any symptoms. Various degrees of organ dysfunction are linked with drug-induced liver injury, which is unpredictable and might result from exposure to a drug. We reported suspected fluoxetine-induced hepatomegaly secondary to nine weeks of treatment with an SSRI fluoxetine. Upon cessation of the agent, the patient recovered symptomatically. The evidence is vital that the hepatomegaly in this patient was caused by fluoxetine

Current advances in microalgae harvesting and lipid extraction processes for improved biodiesel production: A review

Microalgae have been considered as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production, since its cultivation uses less land than other traditional oil crops and has a higher growth rate. A great challenge is a choice of an effective approach for microalgae biomass recovery and lipid extraction, since the scheduling of these practices are critical and require an economical and environment friendly route. Flocculation has evolved as an efficient and economic approach for harvesting microalgae biomass. This review discussed the recent progress of chemical flocculants including organic and inorganic, bio-flocculants and nanomaterials-based processes for biomass recovery. In addition, the present review describes modifications made in conventional methods for lipid extraction. Several pre-treatment methods such as mechanical, chemical integrated with various solvents and nanoparticles are vastly investigated for lipid extraction. Use of green solvents namely, ionic liquids, supercritical fluids and switchable solvents are also reviewed, with the focus on cleaner biofuel synthesis. Furthermore, the article discusses policies implemented for the advancement in biofuel production, major challenges and considers future directions in microalgae harvesting and lipid recovery processes. This is the first study that extensively compares the recent approaches for biomass and lipid recovery. The present work intended to serve a long-term adaptation of the innovative techniques for copious economic benefit. Thus, this review emphasizes on advanced techniques that influence the microalgae biomass separation and cellular disruption for proficient lipid removal from microalgae, which deliberates towards the development of sustainable microalgae biofuel and heighten the bio-economy strategy

Transactive response DNA-binding protein-43 proteinopathy in oligodendrocytes revealed using an induced pluripotent stem cell model

Oligodendrocytes are implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis and display transactive response DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) pathological inclusions. To investigate the cell autonomous consequences of TDP-43 mutations on human oligodendrocytes, we generated oligodendrocytes from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell lines harbouring mutations in the TARDBP gene, namely G298S and M337V. Through a combination of immunocytochemistry, electrophysiological assessment via whole-cell patch clamping, and three-dimensional cultures, no differences in oligodendrocyte differentiation, maturation or myelination were identified. Furthermore, expression analysis for monocarboxylate transporter 1 (a lactate transporter) coupled with a glycolytic stress test showed no deficit in lactate export. However, using confocal microscopy, we report TDP-43 mutation-dependent pathological mis-accumulation of TDP-43. Furthermore, using in vitro patch-clamp recordings, we identified functional Ca2+-permeable α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor dysregulation in oligodendrocytes. Together, these findings establish a platform for further interrogation of the role of oligodendrocytes and cellular autonomy in TDP-43 proteinopathy

Familial t(1;11) translocation is associated with disruption of white matter structural integrity and oligodendrocyte–myelin dysfunction

Although the underlying neurobiology of major mental illness (MMI) remains unknown, emerging evidence implicates a role for oligodendrocyte–myelin abnormalities. Here, we took advantage of a large family carrying a balanced t(1;11) translocation, which substantially increases risk of MMI, to undertake both diffusion tensor imaging and cellular studies to evaluate the consequences of the t(1;11) translocation on white matter structural integrity and oligodendrocyte–myelin biology. This translocation disrupts among others the DISC1 gene which plays a crucial role in brain development. We show that translocation-carrying patients display significant disruption of white matter integrity compared with familial controls. At a cellular level, we observe dysregulation of key pathways controlling oligodendrocyte development and morphogenesis in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived case oligodendrocytes. This is associated with reduced proliferation and a stunted morphology in vitro. Further, myelin internodes in a humanized mouse model that recapitulates the human translocation as well as after transplantation of t(1;11) oligodendrocyte progenitors were significantly reduced when compared with controls. Thus we provide evidence that the t(1;11) translocation has biological effects at both the systems and cellular level that together suggest oligodendrocyte–myelin dysfunction

Some investigations on multilayer microstrip stacked antenna

277-280The results of investigation on an electromagnetically coupled stacked microstrip antenna have been reported. Experimental work is carried out to study the effect of coupling on various parameters such as pattern, bandwidth, beamwidth, VSWR and input-impedance. The radiated power is found to be maximum for the microstrip stacked antenna with one and two parasitic elements. However, radiated power decreases significantly when the number of parasitic elements in microstrip stacked antenna is more than two. The beamwidth of the main lobe improves with the parasitic elements. The bandwidth of the microstrip antenna is found to depend directly on the number of the parasitic elements. It has been observed that the radiated power depends on inter element spacing with air dielectric in between the elements. An air gap spacing of 2.8 mm is found to provide maximum radiated power from microstrip stacked antenna with single parasitic element. This hints that there is an optimum inter-element spacing that provides maximum coupling and hence maximum radiation