Face-memory and emotion: associations with major depression in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND: Studies in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) document abnormalities in both memory and face-emotion processing. The current study used a novel face-memory task to test the hypothesis that adolescent MDD is associated with a deficit in memory for face-emotions. The study also examines the relationship between parental MDD and memory performance in offspring. METHODS: Subjects were 152 offspring (ages 9-19) of adults with either MDD, anxiety disorders, both MDD and anxiety, or no disorder. Parents and offspring were assessed for mental disorders. Collection of face-memory data was blind to offspring and parent diagnosis. A computerized task was developed that required rating of facial photographs depicting 'happy,"fearful,' or 'angry' emotions followed by a memory recall test. Recall accuracy was examined as a function of face-emotion type. RESULTS: Age and gender independently predicted memory, with better recall in older and female subjects. Controlling for age and gender, offspring with a history of MDD (n = 19) demonstrated significant deficits in memory selectively for fearful faces, but not happy or angry faces. Parental MDD was not associated with face-memory accuracy. DISCUSSION: This study found an association between MDD in childhood or adolescence and perturbed encoding of fearful faces. MDD in young individuals may predispose to subtle anomalies in a neural circuit encompassing the amygdala, a brain region implicated in the processing of fearful facial expressions. These findings suggest that brain imaging studies using similar face-emotion paradigms should test whether deficits in processing of fearful faces relate to amygdala dysfunction in children and adolescents with MDD.     

Biology of von Willebrand factor

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a multimeric glycoprotein synthesized by megakaryocytes and endothelial cells. It is stored in platelets and endothelial cells and secreted towards subendothelium and plasma. VWF multimers consist of linear arrangements of identical subunits with a molecular weight of 270 kDa. The longest multimers reach more than 20 x 10(6) Da in storage granules. In the circulation, the multimer size is limited by the specific protease ADAMTS13. In primary hemostasis, VWF plays a key role as a molecular bridge in adhesion between platelets and subendothelium and between platelets during their aggregation. These functions, which involve the interaction with platelet glycoprotein lb, are mainly enhanced by VWF immobilization onto hydrophobic surfaces (collagen, cell membrane) and by high shear rates found in microcirculation and stenosed arteries. In these functions, the higher molecular weight forms are the most efficient. Under such hemodynamic conditions, proteolytic activity of ADAMTS13 is also optimal and limits the multimer size to about 15 x 10(6) Da as soon as their secretion. Thus ADAMTS13 appears as a key physiologic regulator of the VWF platelet functions. In the microcirculation, the lack of ADAMTS13 activity can result in the formation of VWF-rich platelet aggregates responsible for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.     

Development of an adaptive tsetse population management scheme for the Luke community, Ethiopia

Since 1996, tsetse (Glossina spp.) control operations, using odor-baited traps, have been carried out in the Luke area of Gurage zone, southwestern Ethiopia. Glossina morsitans submorsitans Newstead was identified as the dominant species in the area, but the presence of Glossina fuscipes Newstead and Glossina pallidipes Austen also was recorded. Here, we refer to the combined number of these three species and report the work undertaken from October 2002 to October 2004 to render the control system more efficient by reducing the number of traps used and maintaining the previously reached levels of tsetse occurrence and trypanosomiasis prevalence. This was done by the design and implementation of an adaptive tsetse population management system. It consists first of an efficient community-participatory monitoring scheme that allowed us to reduce the number of traps used from 216 to 127 (107 monitoring traps and 20 control traps). Geostatistical methods, including kriging and mapping, furthermore allowed identification and monitoring of the spatiotemporal dynamics of patches with increased fly densities, referred to as hot spots. To respond to hot spots, the Luke community was advised and assisted in control trap deployment. Adaptive management was shown to be more efficient than the previously used mass trapping system. In that context, trap numbers could be reduced substantially, at the same time maintaining previously achieved levels of tsetse occurrences and disease prevalence.     

A placebo controlled double blind clinical trial of mitomycin C in primary trabeculectomy in Ethiopian patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine if surgery with mitomycin has an increased success rate in reducing introccular pressure after trabeculectomy in Ethiopian patients METHODS: A double blind clinical trial using mitomycin C and placebo during primary trabeculectomy was carried out on 31 patients and 31 controls. 31 patients and 28 controls completed the study period Post operative intra ocular pressure and post operative complications were assessed RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the postoperative intra ocular pressure in both groups (p = 0.6 95% CI). However there was a statistically significant higher rate of complications in the cases when compared to the controls (p = .002 95% CI). CONCLUSION: A controlled study with adequate power using different dosages of mitomycin is recommend     

Assessing the functional outcomes of ankle fracture and its predictive factors following surgical treatment at Addis Ababa burn,emergency, and trauma (AaBET) hospital,Addis Ababa,Ethiopia, 2021: A 5-year retrospective cross-sectional study

European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology - Ankle fracture is a common injury that is treated at Addis Ababa Burn, Emergency, and Trauma Hospital. Previous studies show that there...     

Light-induced recruitment of INAD-signaling complexes to detergent-resistant lipid rafts in Drosophila photoreceptors

Here, we reveal a novel feature of the dynamic organization of signaling components in Drosophila photoreceptors. We show that the multi-PDZ protein INAD and its target proteins undergo light-induced recruitment to detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) rafts. Reduction of ergosterol, considered to be a key component of lipid rafts in Drosophila, resulted in a loss of INAD-signaling complexes associated with DRM fractions. Genetic analysis demonstrated that translocation of INAD-signaling complexes to DRM rafts requires activation of the entire phototransduction cascade, while constitutive activation of the light-activated channels resulted in recruitment of complexes to DRM rafts in the dark. Mutations affecting INAD and TRP showed that PDZ4 and PDZ5 domains of INAD, as well as the INAD-TRP interaction, are required for translocation of components to DRM rafts. Finally, selective recruitment of phosphorylated, and therefore activatable, eye-PKC to DRM rafts suggests that DRM domains are likely to function in signaling, rather than trafficking.