Type III Nrg1 Back Signaling Enhances Functional TRPV1 along Sensory Axons Contributing to Basal and Inflammatory Thermal Pain Sensation

Type III Nrg1, a member of the Nrg1 family of signaling proteins, is expressed in sensory neurons, where it can signal in a bi-directional manner via interactions with the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (ErbB RTKs) [1]. Type III Nrg1 signaling as a receptor (Type III Nrg1 back signaling) can acutely activate phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PtdIns3K) signaling, as well as regulate levels of α7* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, along sensory axons [2]. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a cation-permeable ion channel found in primary sensory neurons that is necessary for the detection of thermal pain and for the development of thermal hypersensitivity to pain under inflammatory conditions [3]. Cell surface expression of TRPV1 can be enhanced by activation of PtdIns3K [4], [5], [6], making it a potential target for regulation by Type III Nrg1. We now show that Type III Nrg1 signaling in sensory neurons affects functional axonal TRPV1 in a PtdIns3K-dependent manner. Furthermore, mice heterozygous for Type III Nrg1 have specific deficits in their ability to respond to noxious thermal stimuli and to develop capsaicin-induced thermal hypersensitivity to pain. Cumulatively, these results implicate Type III Nrg1 as a novel regulator of TRPV1 and a molecular mediator of nociceptive function

The politics and aesthetics of commemoration: national days in southern Africa

The contributions to the special section in this issue study recent independence celebrations and other national days in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They explore the role of national days in state-making and nation-building, and examine the performativity of nationalism and the role of performances in national festivities. Placing the case studies in a broader, comparative perspective, the introduction first discusses the role of the state in national celebrations, highlighting three themes: firstly, the political power-play and contested politics of memory involved in the creation of a country’s festive calendar; secondly, the relationship between state control of national days and civic or popular participation or contestation; and thirdly, the complex relationship between regional and ethnic loyalties and national identifications. It then turns to the role of performance and aesthetics in the making of nations in general, and in national celebrations in particular. Finally, we look at the different formats and meanings of national days in the region and address the question whether there is anything specific about national days in southern Africa as compared to other parts of the continent or national celebrations world-wide.Web of Scienc

Les dénis et négations de grossesse (Une voie de dégagement de l'emprise maternelle?)

Les dénis et les négations de grossesse interrogent à plusieurs égards. En effet, la non prise de conscience de l état de grossesse au-delà du premier trimestre, apparaît comme une préoccupation actuelle, bien que cette entité clinique existe depuis toujours. Les axes sur lesquels les hypothèses se sont centrées concernent le fonctionnement psychique, l image du corps, les représentations liées à la sexualité et enfin les capacités de traitement de la perte. Ainsi, les femmes qui ont dénié leur grossesse ont été comparées à une population tout-venant par l utilisation d une méthodologie projective (Rorschach et TAT). Les résultats révèlent une pluralité des organisations psychiques d une part, avec des profils plus pathologiques chez les femmes qui ont dénié leur grossesse. D autre part, des fragilités de l image du corps, des difficultés de l expression pulsionnelle libidinale et du traitement de la perte apparaissent dans les deux groupes mais de manière plus marquée dans les situations de grossesses déniées. Par ailleurs les tests projectifs ont permis de mettre en évidence des conduites psychiques communes dans la population clinique. L une des perspectives d ouverture de ce travail est d apporter une dimension longitudinale afin de distinguer clairement en quoi l ensemble des résultats obtenus concerne leur fonctionnement psychique habituel ou bien si ces éléments sont étroitement liés à cette période si particulière que représente le post-natal.Denials or negations of pregnancy are still mis-interpreted phenomena. They have been reported since ages, yet few explainations have been found to better understand them. Here we compare, through projective methodology (Rorschach and TAT), a group of women who went through a pregnancy denial to a group of standard primipare mothers in the post-natal period. Psychic mecanisms, body representation, sexual representation and loss treatment have been studied. Apart from the great diversity of psychical organisation, some women revealed more psychopathological disorders than standard primipare mother. Moreover, fragile body representations as well as low capacity of expresion of libidinal pulsions and difficulties in loss treatment appear more frequently in the first group. Similarities in the psychological patterns of women who denied their pregnancy have also been found. More studies are still needed to evaluate if these results are only due to pregnancy denial or if the post-natal state has a specific influence on the psychology of these young mothers.BOULOGNE-BU Psych. Henri Pieron (920125201) / SudocSudocFranceF

The Effect of Age, Parity and Body Mass Index on the Efficacy, Safety, Placement and User Satisfaction Associated With Two Low-Dose Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Contraceptive Systems: Subgroup Analyses of Data From a Phase III Trial

<div><p>Objective</p><p>Two low-dose levonorgestrel intrauterine contraceptive systems (LNG-IUSs; total content 13.5 mg [average approx. 8 μg/24 hours over the first year; LNG-IUS 8] and total content 19.5 mg [average approx. 13 μg/24 hours over the first year; LNG-IUS 13]) have previously been shown to be highly effective (3-year Pearl Indices: 0.33 and 0.31, respectively), safe and well tolerated. The present subgroup analyses evaluated whether or not outcomes were affected by parity, age (18–25 vs 26–35 years), or body mass index (BMI, <30 vs ≥30 kg/m²).</p><p>Methods</p><p>Nulliparous and parous women aged 18‒35 years with regular menstrual cycles (21‒35 days) requesting contraception were randomized to 3 years of LNG-IUS 8 or LNG-IUS 13 use.</p><p>Results</p><p>In the LNG-IUS 8 and LNG-IUS 13 groups, 1432 and 1452 women, respectively, had a placement attempted and were included in the full analysis set; 39.2%, 39.2% and 17.1% were 18–25 years old, nulliparous and had a BMI ≥30 kg/m², respectively. Both systems were similarly effective regardless of age, parity or BMI; the subgroup Pearl Indices had widely overlapping 95% confidence intervals. Placement of LNG-IUS 8 and LNG-IUS 13 was easier (p < 0.0001) and less painful (p < 0.0001) in women who had delivered vaginally than in women who had not. The complete/partial expulsion rate was 2.2–4.2% across all age and parity subgroups and higher in parous than in nulliparous women (p = 0.004). The incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease was 0.1–0.6% across all age and parity subgroups: nulliparous and younger women were not at higher risk than parous and older women, respectively. The ectopic pregnancy rate was 0.3–0.4% across all age and parity subgroups. Across all age and parity subgroups, the 3-year completion rate was 50.9–61.3% for LNG-IUS 8 and 57.9–61.1% for LNG-IUS 13, and was higher (p = 0.0001) among older than younger women in the LNG-IUS 8 group only.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>LNG-IUS 8 and LNG-IUS 13 were highly effective, safe and well tolerated regardless of age or parity.</p><p>Trial Registration</p><p>Clinical trials.gov <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00528112" target="_blank">NCT00528112</a></p></div