The role of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in the control of micturition

Central 5-HT containing neurones, via activation of 5-HT1A receptors, play an important role in the facilitation of parasympathetic outflow to the bladder. However, there are no reports on the role of 5-HT7 receptors in the reflex control of micturition, even though many non-selective 5-HT receptor ligands have been shown to bind to 5-HT7 receptors, and have both excitatory and inhibitory effects on micturition. Using selective 5-HTv receptor antagonists SB-269970 and SB-656104, this work demonstrates an important physiological role for supraspinal, but not spinal, 5-HT7 receptors in the control of micturition in the urethane anaesthetized rat. Blocking supraspinal 5-HT7 receptors, micturition is inhibited, with an increased volume and pressure required in the bladder to initiate micturition, but no significant effects on urethral function. In addition these data show that central administration of the 5-HT2C receptor antagonist mesulergine, which binds with high affinity to the 5-HT7 receptor, also inhibits the micturition reflex, but only at a high dose. However, these data do not support a role for the 5-HT2C receptor in the control of micturition, as demonstrated using the selective 5-HT2C receptor antagonist SB-243213. There are no selective agonists for the 5-HT7 receptor. However, 5-CT can be used to activate 5-HT7 receptors in mice and guinea pigs to induce hypothermia, which can be inhibited by selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB-269970, but not by WAY-100635 or GR127935. Therefore, central administration of 5-CT was used to facilitate micturition, via 5-HT7 receptor activation, in the anaesthetized rat. These data demonstrate that facilitation of micturition was possible using 5-CT, but only in the presence of the selective 5-HT1B/1D receptor antagonist GR 127935. Therefore these data further support a facilitatory role for the 5-HT7 receptor, but also an inhibitory role for 5-HT1B/1D receptor in the control of micturition, which was further confirmed using selective 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonist sumatriptan and 5-HT1B receptor agonist CP93,129, which both inhibited micturition. Overall this thesis further characterises the functional role of 5-HT receptors in the control of micturition

Mothers' experiences of a primary specialist provision for autism attended by their child

Research evidence suggests that a significant minority of mothers of children with autism are dissatisfied with their child’s education. However, research to date has mainly comprised of large-scale ‘broad-brush’ methodologies which cannot capture the detail of these mothers’ experiences. This research sought to explore six mothers’ experiences of engaging with a specialist unit for autism attended by their child. Their accounts of these experiences were elicited through semi-structured interviews in order that the data obtained was detailed and reflected individual, subjective experience. Interview transcripts were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, an inductive methodology that is designed to enable the researcher to dig deep into the data and produce a rich descriptive and interpretative summary of participants’ experiences. Three superordinate themes were constructed during the analytical process. The first highlighted the importance mothers placed on feeling their child was loved and accepted by school staff. Secondly, the uncertainties and complexities of making sense of their child’s autism diagnosis were highlighted, as well as uncertainties relating to priorities for their child’s learning, and knowing what expectations to have of the specialist Unit. Finally participants’ experiences of learning are described. These learning experiences related to finding out more about their child through contact with the Unit, discovering principles and practice relating to specialist teaching skills utilised by staff, and finally developing their own way of understanding and parenting their child at home

Childhood abuse and the content of delusions

Original article can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01452134 Copyright Elsevier Ltd.We aimed to investigate possible associations between histories of childhood abuse and the content of delusions for individuals with psychotic disorders. 39 participants with a psychotic disorder including one or more delusional beliefs successfully completed structured interviews about childhood trauma, delusional beliefs and associated anomalous perceptual experiences including hallucinations. The presence of hallucinations was predicted by greater physical abuse. Greater abuse in general was associated with delusions involving ‘special abilities’ (grandiosity) and, at trend levels, with those involving ‘defective self’. Though preliminary, these results suggest that further investigation is warranted. The presence and nature of abuse may be relevant to delusional presentations and should form an essential part of clinical assessment of psychotic disorder.Peer reviewe

Predictive Model for Design of a 3D Developmental Neurotoxicity Platform

Exposure to developmental toxins during gestation have been shown to be linked to neurological disorders such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and dyslexia [1] . In this report we describe efforts that represent the ground work to develop a predictive neurotoxicity model to test developmental toxicity on early neuronal differentiation from drugs and toxins for human consumption or exposure. Developmental toxins are toxins that prevent stem cell differentiation into neurons by impacting neural development [2] . Currency technologies used to evaluate a compound\u27s potential as a developmental toxin are centered around culturing stem cells in a two-dimensional environment or exposing animal models to the compound. The stem cells are then monitored for changes in proliferation, differentiation, and death. These classes of experiments proved not only to be expensive, but also extremely time consuming and ineffective in some cases. These technologies do not accurately mimic the in vivo environment, which uses ECM proteins and cell-cell interactions to regulate cellular functions such as migration, apoptosis, and gene expression. Our predictive model would provide a more biologically accurate alternative of the human system compared to two-dimensional cell culture and animal models. Our model would further improve the quality and relevance of developmental neurotoxicity research, reduce the number of animal experiments and overall cost to evaluate the potential for a compound to act as a developmental toxin

Mandatory Reporting? Issues to consider when developing legislation and policy to improve discovery of child abuse

Article by Dr Emma Davies (School of Law, Liverpool John Moores University), Associate Professor Ben Mathews (School of Law, Queensland University of Technology) and Professor John Read (Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool). In the United Kingdom, recent investigations into child sexual abuse occurring within schools, the Catholic Church and the British Broadcasting Corporation, have intensified debate on ways to improve the discovery of child sexual abuse, and child maltreatment generally. One approach adopted in other jurisdictions to better identify cases of severe child maltreatment is the introduction of some form of legislative mandatory reporting to require designated persons to report known and suspected cases. The debate in England has raised the prospect of whether adopting a strategy of some kind of mandatory reporting law is advisable. The purpose of this article is to add to this debate by identifying fundamental principles, issues and complexities underpinning policy and even legislative developments in the interests of children and society. The article will first highlight the data on the hidden nature of child maltreatment and the background to the debate. Secondly, it will identify some significant gaps in knowledge that need to be filled. Thirdly, the article will summarise the barriers to reporting abuse and neglect. Fourthly, we will identify a range of options for, and clarify the dilemmas in developing, legislative mandatory reporting, addressing two key issues: who should be mandated to report, and what types of child maltreatment should they be required to report? Finally, we draw attention to some inherently different goals and competing interests, both between and within the various institutions involved in the safeguarding of children and the criminal prosecution of some offenders. Based on this analysis we offer some concluding observations that we hope contribute to informed and careful debate about mandatory reporting

On the role of the AIS practitioner

Cognisant of the gulf between engineers and immunologists that currenty hinders a truly inter-disciplinary approach to the field of Artificial Immune Systems (AIS), we propose a redefinition of the term AIS practitioner, as an individual who identifies those components and interactions captured in computational immunology models that are responsible for a particular property of interest (POI), and distils from these a set of algorithms and principles that can be applied in an engineering domain. We outline the role of the cross-disciplinary practitioner and the potential benefits to the field

Mandatory Reporting? Issues to consider when developing legislation and policy to improve discovery of child abuse

In the United Kingdom, recent investigations into child sexual abuse occurring within schools, the Catholic Church and the British Broadcasting Corporation, have intensified debate on ways to improve the discovery of child sexual abuse, and child maltreatment generally. One approach adopted in other jurisdictions to better identify cases of severe child maltreatment is the introduction of some form of legislative mandatory reporting to require designated persons to report known and suspected cases. The debate in England has raised the prospect of whether adopting a strategy of some kind of mandatory reporting law is advisable. The purpose of this article is to add to this debate by identifying fundamental principles, issues and complexities underpinning policy and even legislative developments in the interests of children and society. The article will first highlight the data on the hidden nature of child maltreatment and the background to the debate. Secondly, it will identify some significant gaps in knowledge that need to be filled. Thirdly, the article will summarise the barriers to reporting abuse and neglect. Fourthly, we will identify a range of options for, and clarify the dilemmas in developing, legislative mandatory reporting, addressing two key issues: who should be mandated to report, and what types of child maltreatment should they be required to report? Finally, we draw attention to some inherently different goals and competing interests, both between and within the various institutions involved in the safeguarding of children and the criminal prosecution of some offenders. Based on this analysis we offer some concluding observations that we hope contribute to informed and careful debate about mandatory reporting

On the role of the AIS practitioner

Cognisant of the gulf between engineers and immunologists that currenty hinders a truly inter-disciplinary approach to the field of Artificial Immune Systems (AIS), we propose a redefinition of the term AIS practitioner, as an individual who identifies those components and interactions captured in computational immunology models that are responsible for a particular property of interest (POI), and distils from these a set of algorithms and principles that can be applied in an engineering domain. We outline the role of the cross-disciplinary practitioner and the potential benefits to the field

Access visits using video communication

An online video communication system is presented that enables Occupational Therapists (OTs) assess patient homes for assistive technology needs before acute care discharge to ensure appropriate independence and recovery conditions. Explorations under multiple conditions revealed perspectives from OTs and volunteer facilitators. Preliminary key findings and insights are reported