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Maresin 1 (MaR1) is a DHA-derived pro-resolving lipid mediator. The present study aimed to characterize the ability of MaR1 to prevent the alterations induced by TNF-α on insulin actions in glucose uptake and Akt phosphorylation in cultured human adipocytes from overweight/obese subjects, as well as to investigate the effects of MaR1 acute and chronic administration on Akt phosphorylation in absence/presence of insulin in white adipose tissue (WAT) and skeletal muscle from lean and diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. MaR1 (0.1 nM) prevented the inhibitory effect of TNF-α on insulin-stimulated 2-Deoxy-D-glucose uptake and Akt phosphorylation in human adipocytes. Acute treatment with MaR1 (50 μg/kg, 3 h, i.p.) induced Akt phosphorylation in WAT and skeletal muscle of lean mice. However, MaR1 did not further increase the stimulatory effect of insulin on Akt activation. Interestingly, intragastric chronic treatment with MaR1 (50 μg/kg, 10 days) in DIO mice reduced the hyperglycemia induced by the high fat diet (HFD) and improved systemic insulin sensitivity. In parallel, MaR1 partially restored the impaired insulin response in skeletal muscle of DIO mice and reversed HFD-induced lower Akt phosphorylation in WAT in non-insulin-stimulated DIO mice while did not restore the defective Akt activation in response to acute insulin observed in DIO mice. Our results suggest that MaR1 attenuates the impaired insulin signaling and glucose uptake induced by proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the current data support that MaR1 treatment could be useful to reduce the hyperglycemia and the insulin resistance associated to obesity, at least in part by improving Akt signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Psychotic depression (PD) was associated with higher and quicker response to ECT, it is an outstanding predictor of response, and it has been proposed to be a distinct nosological entity. Objectives: Comparison of patients with psychotic (n=26) and nonpsychotic (n=40) depression. Methods: Retrospective study including 66 depressive patients treated with bilateral ECT. Patients were rated pre-ECT and after their last session using the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI), the CORE system, the Mini-Mental (MEC-35), and the Global Assessment of Function (GAF). Changes in severity were assessed weekly with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-21). Results: Pre-ECT HDRS scores were higher in PD (34.35±5.04 vs 26.58±4.489; p<0.001) although weekly percentage decrease, post-ECT HDRS scores, and the number of sessions (11.54±3.65 vs 11.45±2.9) were similar. Response rates were higher in PD (92.3% vs 85%), even though the difference was not statistically significant. PD patients were older (67.81±12.25 vs 58.96±12.825; p=0.007), had higher CGI and CORE, and had lower MEC-35 and GAF pre-ECT. They spent more days in the hospital, had lower Thase and Rush staging, needed less anesthetic dose, and required higher stimulus intensity at first ECT session (all p<0.005). However no differences were found in age of illness onset, number of previous episodes, previous ECT, current episode duration, response and remission rates, or the stimulus dose at last ECT session. Conclusions: ECT was highly effective. PD showed older age, greater severity, psychomotor and cognitive disturbances, poorer functionality, and less pharmacological resistance pre-ECT. PD required less anesthetic dose and higher initial stimulus intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the effects of various fentanyl anesthetic mixtures on corticoadrenal function of rabbits. The study involves 10 New Zealand White rabbits which were maintained with under conventional conditions and were assigned in four treatment groups including control group with normal saline solution, group ketamine, and group fentanyl. Results reveal the response of respiratory and heart rates and glucocorticoids following the administration of fentanyl mixtures.