Surveys of avian practitioners and pet owners regarding common behavior problems in psittacine birds

Avian veterinarians and pet bird owners were solicited to participate in online surveys to gather information about behavior problems in pet birds. A total of 84 avian veterinarians' and 203 psittacine bird owners' responses were analyzed. Behaviors with a high prevalence and a high level of owner concern, in descending order, were aggression, screaming, and feather picking. Veterinarians reported that the most common behavior problems presented to them were feather picking, chronic egg laying, aggression, and screaming, in that order. Most owners seeking advice went elsewhere before talking to their veterinarian. When consulted, most veterinarians recommended a combination of a medical workup, nutritional changes, housing changes, and environmental enrichments for these problem behaviors. Because owners do not often seek a veterinarian's advice, behavior problems exist in birds that are not being addressed by veterinarians. Advising veterinarians to question owners about problem behaviors at every visit will facilitate discussion and improve the treatment and welfare of pet psittacine birds.     

Cytokeratins and dermatology

Cytokeratins are fibrous intermediate-filament protein polymers present in almost all animal cells. Their function is related to epithelium structural maintenance, protection from mechanical trauma, and possibly communication between adjacent cells or cytoplasm components. Today there are 20 known cytokeratins, classified according to their molecular weight and pH as type I or acidic (cytokeratins 9-20) and type II or neutral-basic (cytokeratins 1-8). Cytokeratins are always expressed in specific pairs for each type of tissue, composed of one unit of type I and one unit of type II. Primary structural defects of cytokeratins are associated with various keratinization impairments. Two of the better characterized defects are bullous epidermolysis and epidermolytic hyperkeratosis. Anti-cytokeratin monoclonal antibodies are being used for diagnostic purposes to characterize the origin of poorly differentiated tumors and metastatic solid tumors.     

Pediatric dermatology

Dr. Baruch presents some of the most common pediatric lower extremity skin conditions seen in clinical practice. The conditions that he discusses appear to be relatively easy to diagnose in the early stages; however, some of them, such as contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, may be hard to distinguish from one another. I have to admit that I have never seen lichen planus in the pediatric age group; I will need to keep looking. I agree with Dr. Baruch that classification of lesions into either the primary and secondary groups will aid in diagnosis and treatment. It also seems that the ever-present verrucae is the most common pediatric condition seen in our office, and we have taken similar steps in treating this condition with blunt dissection with excellent results.     

Nicotinamide in dermatology and photoprotection

Nicotinamide (the amide form of vitamin B3) has been used in dermatology for more than 40 years for a diverse range of conditions including acne, rosacea, autoimmune bullous dermatoses, and now the treatment and prevention of photoaging and photoimmunosuppression. The broad clinical effects of nicotinamide may be explained by its role as a cellular energy precursor, a modulator of inflammatory cytokines, and an inhibitor of the nuclear enzyme poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase-1, which plays a significant role in DNA repair, maintenance ofgenomic stability, and cellular response to injury including inflammation and apoptosis. This review outlines the use of nicotinamide for inflammatory dermatoses and photoaging and focuses on its emerging role in photoprotection.     

Photosensitizers and radiosensitizers in dermatology and oncology

Two therapeutic modalities are currently of great interest, namely photo- and radiosensitization. Whereas photosensitizers only function in combination with ultraviolet (UV) light, radiosensitizers act only in combination with ionizing radiation. Because of the small UV penetration, up to a maximum of 0,5 mm, photosensitization can take place only at the surface of the body, ie. the skin. Photosensitizers are applied in dermatology in order to optimize and improve the UV therapy of certain diseases (mainly psoriasis, mycosis fungoides and vitiligo). Radiosensitizers lead to an increase in sensitivity of the hypoxic and therefore radioresistant parts of tumours against X- and gamma-radiation. With sufficient concentration within the tumour, they can act where the radiation can reach, even in the deeper parts of the body. They represent a modern and useful aid to radiation oncology. Because of neurotoxic effects, however, their practical use is limited. A short review of the history, mechanisms of action, application and side-effects of these photo- and radiosensitizers is presented.     

Physician assistants in dermatology

Although physician assistants have played a key role in the delivery of medical care since the mid-1960s, their utilization in the dermatology specialty has been a more recent occurrence. Dermatology physician assistants have experienced tremendous growth over the last 10 years, largely due to the imbalance between patient demand for skin care services and a lack of supply in residency-trained dermatologists. Working under the supervision of dermatologists, physician assistants have been able to extend the reach of the physician and improve patient access to quality dermatologic care.     

Stress factors in dermatology

The changes occurring in the skin as a result of stress are initially physiological and temporary. However, if repeated frequently enough, they eventually become permanent and so pathological. It has been estimated that, in 34 per cent of cases of dermatological disease, stress was the precipitating factor. Dermatological stress disorders can be classified into the following: exclusively emotional; partly organic and partly psychological; emotional predisposing, perpetuating or precipitating factors; and unsightly diseases affecting the psyche. Pruritus is an important factor in many diseases, since it produces the itch-scratch vicious cycle. No matter what the cause of the itch, the current emotional state, including anxiety, tension and fear, are factors which influence it.