Blockade of arginine vasotocin signaling reduces aggressive behavior and c-Fos expression in the preoptic area and periventricular nucleus of the posterior tuberculum in male Amphiprion ocellaris.

Many marine fishes change sex in response to social cues when the dominance hierarchy is perturbed. Arginine-vasotocin (AVT) and the mammalian homolog arginine vasopressin are neuropeptides involved in social and reproductive behaviors across vertebrate taxa. The goal of this study was to determine whether AVT signaling influences aggression and expression of c-Fos, a marker of neuroplasticity, in key brain regions of the social decision circuit in Amphiprion ocellaris clownfish, a species where behavioral dominance precedes gonadal sex change from male to female. In experiment 1, juvenile clownfish (average mass 2.5g) were paired together in a tank (a total of 24 pairs), matched approximately for size with one fish randomly receiving either an intraperitoneal injection of the arginine vasopressin V1a receptor antagonist (Manning compound) or saline vehicle, and evaluated for aggressive and submissive behaviors over a 10-min period. The second experiment was a repeat of the first using five pairs of mature, reproductive males, except the animals interacted for 90-min immediately followed by euthanasia for immunohistochemical detection of c-Fos protein. Numbers of c-Fos-positive cells were quantified in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (POA), the anterior tuberal nucleus (aTn), and periventricular nucleus of the posterior tuberculum (TPp). Manning compound significantly reduced aggression and the probability of winning the contest relative to saline (vehicle) controls. In experiment 2, saline-treated fish displayed approximately twice as many c-Fos-positive cells in the POA and 25% more in the TPp than the Manning-treated fish, no differences were observed in the aTn. Taken together, results suggest AVT signaling is necessary for aggressive behavior and expression of neuroplasticity in the POA and TPp that likely contributes to behavioral dominance and hence, sex change in A. ocellaris.

Research into glaucoma and ethnicity (ReGAE) 4: trabeculectomy for advanced glaucoma: the surgical journey of African-Caribbean patients.

AIM: To explore the experiences of African-Caribbean patients with advanced glaucoma. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were used to elicit patients' subjective experiences of becoming a glaucoma patient, receiving treatment, undergoing surgery, and its aftermath. Interview transcripts underwent narrative analysis. RESULTS: The surgeon-patient relationship was central to developing effective coping strategies. Participants described their experiences in terms of what they considered were their responsibilities as patients to the surgeon-patient relationship. They also defined the surgeon's responsibilities and obligations. CONCLUSIONS: The use of patient narratives provides a valuable resource for enhancing communication skills and relationship-centred care in the hospital eye service.

ReGAE 2: glaucoma awareness and the primary eye-care service: some perceptions among African Caribbeans in Birmingham UK.

AIMS: Investigations into glaucoma awareness have drawn on informed, clinic-based populations. The paper reports a section of findings from a larger study that aimed to elicit the perceptions of those potentially less informed in community settings. METHODS: A qualitative investigation used face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions with 48 African Caribbean participants outside the hospital eye-service. Interview data were transcribed and coded using manual and computer-aided methods. Inferences and interpretations were corroborated by discussion with expert advisors and community members not directly involved in the study. RESULTS: Positive attitudes to health promotion existed, but 'eye health' did not appear to be integral to individuals' health schemas. The capacity for primary eye care to enhance glaucoma knowledge appeared under utilised and inconsistent across modes of service delivery and was undermined by perceived conflicts of interest. CONCLUSIONS: Enhancing reciprocal understanding between service users and ophthalmic practitioners in primary care is central to developing flexible, responsive local eye-care services. The study suggested useful foci for cultural self-reflection and self-awareness on the part of health professionals themselves, in relation to glaucoma detection. Areas for further research are identified.

ReGAE 1: using the Shah-Cross model as an orientating framework in African-Caribbean glaucoma research.

The inter-relationship between health-care research, policy and service development is convoluted and difficult to articulate. This paper describes a framework for planning research into a range of ophthalmic conditions differentially associated with specific ethnic groups. It discusses the utility of the 'Shah-Cross Model' in mapping development of a glaucoma research project, and communicating its implications for local eye-care policy and ophthalmic services directed towards detection and management of primary open-angle glaucoma in the African-Caribbean population in the UK.

Limitations, frustrations and opportunities: a follow-up study of nursing graduates from the University of Birmingham, England.

This paper reports an ongoing study of the progress of nursing graduates from the University of Birmingham, England. The aim of the research was to follow-up early graduates from the programme, to assess their progress and study feedback indicators that could help further the development of this relatively new programme. The study also aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about United Kingdom nursing graduates, following the recent shift of nurse education from Schools/Colleges of Nursing into universities. Due to objection from some quarters as to the value of a university education for nurses, even such a small-scale study is considered to be important. A questionnaire was sent to the first three cohorts of graduates. It revealed interesting findings in relation to work patterns, continuing professional and academic development and perceptions of the value of the degree in practice. The graduates made recommendations regarding changes that might enhance the quality of the Birmingham degree and nursing practice generally.

Introducing physiotherapy students to the idea of 'reflective practice'.

Absence of precise definitions of such terms as 'reflection' and 'reflective practice' may result in reluctance to explore methods of introducing the underlying ideas to students. In this paper some views on meaning are considered and reflection is introduced to a group of physiotherapy students as a tool in active learning. Transcripts of the students' reflections during a pre-clinical and a clinical experimental learning exercise are presented and discussed.

Neoplastic involvement of terminal digits masquerading clinically as benign disease.

Two patients with primary and four with metastatic distal phalangeal lesions in whom a wrong diagnosis of benign disease was initially made are presented with a brief review of the literature and a discussion of the clinico-radiographic features. Primary phalangeal lesions may be either epidermoid carcinoma or malignant melanoma are are often confused with paronychia, while most metastatic lesions are due to pulmonary or breast cancer and simulate a felon clinically. Primary nail bed lesions are characterized radiographically by external cortical erosions; metastatic lesions tend to show a diffuse demineralization and extensive destruction of the whole digit.

Cutaneous lymphangiosarcoma of Stewart-Treves.

Lymphangiosarcoma of an edematous extremity is a highly malignant cutaneous neoplasm seen most often ten years after a successful radical mastectomy. The sarcoma presents with an ecchymosis and/or purplish cutaneous nodules on the edematous arm; it spreads through the bloodstream and is fatal in most cases. A case is presented which shows some typical and some unusual features of this disease.