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Biomedical subjects

K Hancock

Publications and source records attributed to K Hancock.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Long-term psychological outcomes in spinal cord injured persons: results of a controlled trial using cognitive behavior therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Although there are many anecdotal reports that psychological intervention is effective in enhancing adjustment to spinal cord injury (SCI), there are little data to support this assertion. To date, reports of few longitudinal-based controlled trials that assessed psychological outcomes for SCI persons have been published. This study was conducted to determine long-term efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy during rehabilitation. DESIGN: The study employed a nonrandomized controlled trial, and measures were taken on three occasions: before, immediately after, and 12 months after treatment. SETTING, OUTCOME MEASURES, AND INTERVENTION: Anxiety, depressive mood, and self-esteem were assessed in 28 SCI persons consecutively selected on admission to hospital, who participated in specialized group cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) during rehabilitation. CONTROLS: The intervention group's responses on the measures were compared with a control group of 41 SCI persons who only received traditional rehabilitation services during their hospitalization. RESULTS: There were no overall group differences on anxiety, depressive mood, and self-esteem, although there was a trend for the treatment group to have greater levels of improvement in depression scores across time in comparison to the control group. However, those in the treatment group who reported high levels of depressive mood before the CBT treatment were significantly less depressed 1 year after injury, compared to similar persons in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: While it appears not everyone who experiences SCI needs CBT, at least in the hospital phase of their rehabilitation, those who report high levels of depressive mood benefited greatly from CBT.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

A controlled clinical trial for stuttering in persons aged 9 to 14 years.

This paper presents the results of a controlled trial of child stuttering treatment. The aim of the study was, first, to compare the effectiveness of three viable treatments, and, second, to compare these three treatments to a no-treatment control composed of children who stuttered of a similar age and sex ratio who were on treatment waiting lists. The three treatments investigated included intensive smooth speech, intensive electromyography feedback, and home-based smooth speech. The children/adolescents were assessed across three speaking contexts on measures of percentage syllables stuttered (% SS) and syllables spoken per minute (SPM) and outcomes were assessed 12 months later. Repeated measures analyses of variance demonstrated significant differences between the control group and all three treatment groups across time on conversations in the clinic, on the telephone, and at home (although home measures were not taken for the intensive smooth speech group). Although the controls' stuttering did not change across time, the treatment groups' stuttering was decreased to very low levels posttreatment (less than 1% syllables stuttered on average), with mean improvement in stuttering frequency of at least 85% to 90% across all assessment contexts. Stuttering did not increase significantly up to 3 months and one year posttreatment in the experimental groups, although levels did rise across time (less than 3% syllables stuttered on average). Speech naturalness results showed increasing naturalness across time as rated by the clinician and parent. This was not the case for the controls. The children were also less anxious across time following treatment. The results suggest that all three treatments for children aged 9-14 who stutter were very successful in the long term for over 70% of the group, though the EMG feedback and home-based treatments were superior when percentages falling below a cutoff point (2%SS) were used to discriminate between groups. Implications for child/adolescent treatment in the community are discussed. Long-term outcomes will be assessed up to 5 years after the treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Stored skin--stored trouble?

Quantitative bacteriology is presented on 102 consecutive split-skin grafts. A sample of graft was cultured whenever skin was taken and whenever stored skin was used. Stored skin unused at 21 days was also cultured. The percentage take of grafts was inversely proportional to number of organisms/g of skin (r = -0.24, p < 0.05). Commonly used storage conditions facilitated bacterial multiplication. There was no significant difference in organisms/g contaminating grafts for different surgeons, skin preparations, types of grafts, cutting tools or mode of anaesthesia. Male patients had a significantly greater count for initial grafts (p = 0.02), but after 3 weeks storage there was no sex difference.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

The influence of spinal cord injury on coping styles and self-perceptions two years after the injury.

This study is a two year follow-up of previous longitudinal research which investigated the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI) on perceptions of control, self-esteem and coping styles over the first year of SCI. Persons with SCI and a demographically matched able-bodied control group completed standardised questionnaires on four occasions over two years. The instruments included the Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LCB), Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, and an adapted Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (MAC), which measures coping styles, including fighting spirit, helplessness/hopelessness and fatalism. Results obtained in the first year were replicated in the two year data, except for the LCB Scale. After one year, the SCI group were found to perceive their life to be externally controlled, to be lower in self-esteem, and have more helpless/hopeless and fatalistic attitudes than the controls. There were no differences in self esteem and coping styles after two years for the SCI group. However, locus of control fluctuated over the two years, though there was a trend for the SCI group to be more externally focussed. There were no significant interactions between group and time. Implications for the adjustment of SCI persons are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

The influence of spinal cord injury on coping styles and self-perceptions: a controlled study.

Well-controlled research investigating psychological responses following Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is lacking. In addition, much of the literature is based on depression following SCI and is dominated by data from the USA. The effects of SCI on perceptions of control, self-esteem and coping styles over the first year of SCI were investigated. Forty-one acute spinal injured patients and 41 able-bodied controls matched for age, sex and education completed a variety of standardised questionnaires on three occasions over one year. The instruments included the Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, and an adapted Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) Scale which measures coping styles, including fighting spirit, helplessness/hopelessness and fatalism. The SCI group were found to be more external in their perceptions of control, lower in self-esteem, and more helpless/hopeless and fatalistic in attitude than the controls. The majority of the SCI group had scores reflecting adaptive coping styles and intact levels of self-esteem but there were still a substantial proportion who displayed maladaptive coping styles (e.g. external locus of control, fatalism, helplessness). No differences in scores across time were found for either group. Implications for psychological rehabilitation are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

Identification of nuclear encoded precursor tRNAs within the mitochondrion of Trypanosoma brucei.

RNAs that function in mitochondria are typically encoded by the mitochondrial DNA. However, the mitochondrial tRNAs of Trypanosoma brucei are encoded by the nuclear DNA and therefore must be imported into the mitochondrion. It is becoming evident that RNA import into mitochondria is phylogenetically widespread and is essential for cellular processes, but virtually nothing is known about the mechanism of RNA import. We have identified and characterized mitochondrial precursor tRNAs in T. brucei. The identification of mitochondrially located precursor tRNAs clearly indicates that mitochondrial tRNAs are imported as precursors. The mitochondrial precursor tRNAs hybridize to cloned nuclear tRNA genes, label with [alpha-32P]CTP using yeast tRNA nucleotidyltransferase and in isolated mitochondria via an endogenous nucleotidyltransferase-like activity, and are processed to mature tRNAs by Escherichia coli and yeast mitochondrial RNase P. We show that T. brucei mitochondrial extract contains an RNase P activity capable of processing a prokaryotic tRNA precursor as well as the T. brucei tRNA precursors. Precursors for tRNA(Asn) and tRNA(Leu) were detected on Northern blots of mitochondrial RNA, and the 5' ends of these RNAs were characterized by primer extension analysis. The structure of the precursor tRNAs and the significance of nuclear encoded precursor tRNAs within the mitochondrion are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The exposed total knee replacement prosthesis: a new classification and treatment algorithm.

The increased frequency of total knee replacement arthroplasty (TKRA) has been reflected in the number of patients with exposed prostheses referred to this unit. An algorithm has been developed to assist in the preoperative assessment of the wound and this has been tested on 25 patients with wound breakdown following TKRA. The grade of exposure so derived predicts the most appropriate surgical management. The algorithm, grading system and proposed management are described.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1992

Cavernous haemangioma of the nasal bones.

A case report of a cavernous haemangioma arising in the nasal bones is described, together with a discussion of the relevant literature. The condition, although rare, can be reliably diagnosed pre-operatively.

Bone Neoplasms↗
PubMed1992

Molecular biology of African trypanosomes: development of new strategies to combat an old disease.

African trypanosomes are protozoan parasites that cause a number of diseases of man and domesticated animals in large regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The diseases have proven to be particularly difficult to prevent or to effectively treat due to features of both the trypanosome and the insect vector, the tsetse fly. The habitat of the tsetse and its resistance to insecticides have rendered vector control efforts ineffective. Attempts to develop a vaccine against the African trypanosomes has been dwarfed by the parasite's ability to change the composition of its exposed surface antigens. This process of antigenic variation allows the parasite to avoid the host's immune response and presents the host with a seemingly endless antigenic repertoire. Since conventional approaches to the control of African trypanosomiasis have largely met with failure, there has been a renewed interest in identifying novel aspects of the biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology of trypanosomes that might be exploited to develop new targets for vaccines or chemotherapy. Importantly, this research has opened a virtual Pandora's box of exciting biochemical and molecular surprises, which makes the African trypanosomes not only important medical pathogens but also an exciting experimental system for the basic scientist. In this review, the authors will describe some of the most recent and intriguing developments in the field of molecular parasitology.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Organization of minicircle genes for guide RNAs in Trypanosoma brucei.

We have identified four T. brucei minicircle sequences that are complementary to cytochrome oxidase III (COIII) edited mRNA sequence and have shown the existence of transcripts from three of these minicircle sequences. These minicircle transcripts potentially serve as guide RNAs (gRNAs) for RNA editing of the COIII transcript. These gRNAs range in size from 55 to 70 nucleotides, are heterogeneous in sequence, and have a 5' terminal triphosphate. The genes for these gRNAs are flanked by imperfect 18 bp repeats separated by approximately 110 bp. Transcription initiates at the first purine within a conserved sequence, 5'-RYA-YA-3', 31 or 32 bp from the upstream inverted repeat. We propose that these 18 bp inverted repeats are important for minicircle gRNA expression in T. brucei.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The mitochondrial tRNAs of Trypanosoma brucei are nuclear encoded.

The mitochondrial DNA of Trypanosoma brucei is organized as a catenated network of maxicircles and minicircles. The maxicircles are equivalent to the typical mitochondrial genome except that the genes for the mitochondrial tRNAs have not been identified by sequence analysis of the maxicircle DNA. The apparent absence of tRNA genes in the maxicircle DNA suggests that the mitochondrial tRNAs are encoded by either the minicircle or the nuclear DNA. In order to determine their genomic origin, we isolated and identified the mitochondrial tRNAs of T. brucei. We show that these mitochondrial tRNAs are truly mitochondrially located in vivo and that they are free from detectable contamination by cytosolic RNAs. By hybridization analysis, using mitochondrial tRNAs as the probe, we determined that the mitochondrial tRNAs are encoded by nuclear DNA. This implies that RNAs, like proteins, are imported into the mitochondria. We investigated the relationship between the cytosolic and the mitochondrial tRNA genes and show that there are unique cytosolic tRNA genes, unique mitochondrial tRNA genes, and tRNA genes which appear to be shared and whose products are therefore targeted to both the cytosol and the mitochondrion.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Heterotopic brain presenting as a cystic mass of the palate.

We report a case of heterotopic brain which presented as a cystic mass in the palate and which clinically was thought to be a cystic hygroma. Histologically, there was a remarkable proliferation of choroid plexus-like structures which we believe to have been responsible for the production of cerebrospinal fluid. We believe heterotopic brain to result from early displacement of multipotential cells and that the presence of cerebrospinal fluid within extracranial brain tissue does not imply an intracranial communication.

Brain↗
PubMed1989

Skin equivalents.

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Epidermal Cells↗