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Biomedical subjects

K Knight

Publications and source records attributed to K Knight.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

A comparison of the health status of residents of sheltered care facilities in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

In the past 20 to 30 years the number of sheltered care facilities in the United States has risen dramatically. Serving what many consider to be marginal populations, they are often poorly regulated or unregulated, with little or no attention to the health of residents. A retrospective record review of 647 clients residing in boarding homes, rooming houses, a homeless shelter, and residential facilities in Monmouth County, New Jersey, suggested that whereas some differences exist among facilities in terms of clients' physical and psychosocial health problems, these differences may not be meaningful. Since New Jersey regulations require some minimal health supervision to be provided by residential facilities but not by the others, these results suggest that regulations of the other facilities should be revised to reflect better the needs and problems of the populations they serve.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Using conceptual matrices, knowledge maps, and scripted cooperation to improve personal management strategies.

Research in the area of substance abuse suggests that ineffective personal management strategies appear to be a major factor in abuse behavior. In this study, fifty-seven students in an intermediate level psychology class were provided with three tools previously found to enhance academic learning strategies--knowledge maps, scripted peer cooperation, and conceptual matrices--as a means of understanding and improving personal management strategies. Student ratings of the value of these activities were significantly higher than an average or moderate response. Individual differences appear to be an important consideration in predicting participants' perceptions of the value of this approach. Those who felt they had control of whatever happens to them, and those who perceived problems as impactful and had strong desires to change recurring problem situations, had the most positive reactions to the types of activities used in this study.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A mobile clinic for the homeless and mentally ill: meeting the needs of a target population.

Six years ago, a home care nurse doing research for a school project discovered a population of elderly, mentally ill, and homeless people who were not receiving adequate health care. The nurse's efforts resulted in her home care agency's expanding its services to include a mobile clinic program. Today, the program employs five nurses who provide health assessment and group education to over 1,000 people.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Evidence for nucleotide-mediated changes in the domain structure of the recA protein of Escherichia coli.

We have used limited trypsin digestion as a means of investigating changes in the structural properties of recA protein accompanying the binding of different nucleoside triphosphates. The levels of four partial digestion products are greatly increased in digests of recA protein complexed with dTTP, dATP, ATP, or the ATP analogue adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP gamma S). These bands (22, 19, and 17.5 kilodaltons) are absent or present at reduced levels in digests of recA protein alone. Unlike these nucleotides, all of which bind tightly to recA protein, nucleotides and analogues that bind poorly produce little or no change in the digestion pattern of recA protein. We have compared the rates of fragment accumulation in the presence of dTTP and show a saturable dependence on nucleotide concentration. Binding of single-stranded DNA to recA protein does not alter the pattern of digestion products compared to protein alone, and the digestion pattern of recA protein-DNA-ATP gamma S ternary complexes is similar to that of uncomplexed enzyme. We have used monoclonal antibody binding, high-performance liquid chromatography separation of peptides, and amino acid composition analyses to localize the regions of recA protein which are altered in their susceptibility to trypsin when nucleoside triphosphates are present. The results of these analyses indicate that the fragments arise from trypsin cutting at two or more sites near the middle of the primary sequence. These cleavage sites are more than 80-110 residues away from the site of photoaffinity labeling by 8-N3ATP (Tyr-264). Our results suggest that, in the presence of certain nucleotides, recA protein is organized into two stable structural domains.

Escherichia coli↗
PubMed1984

Cricopharyngeal muscle hypertrophy: radiologic-anatomic correlation.

There is a divergence of opinion concerning the cricopharyngeal muscle defect commonly seen in the pharyngoesophageal area on barium esophagram. Some observers believe this defect is the result of neuromuscular dysfunction with the demonstration of the unrelaxed muscle bundle; however, others believe it is the result of actual hypertrophy of the cricopharyngeal muscle. Radiologic and pathologic study of 24 unselected autopsy cases revealed cricopharyngeal hypertrophy in 13 cases by radiologic criteria. Histologic examination revealed that the cricopharyngeal muscle thickness was uniformly greater in these cases than in the radiographically normal cases. The cricopharyngeal muscle defect is associated with actual hypertrophy of the cricopharyngeal muscle in many cases.

Autopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of an AIDS intervention program during drug abuse treatment.

Since 1985, many drug abuse treatment centers and health care providers have implemented special education programs for individuals who inject drugs. They focus primarily on increasing awareness of the threat of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) being spread through drug injection equipment and by sexual activities. As part of the Drug Abuse Treatment for AIDS-Risk Reduction (DATAR) project, the AIDS/HIV Risk Reduction Module was designed to meet these special intervention needs. This study examined program impact on 110 methadone treatment clients. Results indicated that for those in treatment less than 4 months, the AIDS intervention program enhanced specialized knowledge about AIDS, aided in the reduction of AIDS-risky behaviors, and enhanced attitudes toward achieving and maintaining abstinence from drug use. Thus, AIDS education and intervention programs appear to be effective and should be emphasized in the early phase of drug abuse treatment.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Drug treatment process indicators for probationers and prediction of recidivism.

Research has shown that substance abuse treatment is associated with reduced criminal activity as well as reduced drug use. An increasingly important aspect of treatment evaluation, however, is understanding more about the therapeutic process involved. Based on a sample of 279 probationers assigned to residential treatment for drug use problems, the purpose of this study is to examine several elements of treatment process and how they influence recidivism. Rearrest rate during a 2-year follow-up study period was 36%, and survival analysis showed it was directly related to poorer during-treatment ratings by probationers of self-esteem, counselor competence, and peer support from others in the treatment program. These were better predictor measures than background and demographic characteristics generally used in other studies, suggesting the role of therapeutic engagement in the recovery process.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment as harm reduction, defunding as harm maximization: the case of methadone maintenance.

Despite numerous research studies demonstrating the efficacy of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in general and the value of retention in particular, the increasing defunding of this modality has compromised its potential. From 1990 to 1995 the lead author conducted a longitudinal research project to determine the impact of the cost of treatment on 233 San Francisco Bay Area study participants seeking, enrolled in, or defunded from MMT. This paper reports on selected findings from that study. Using variables of drug use, crime, gender and HIV risk, qualitative and quantitative results comparing those seeking treatment with those enrolled in treatment indicated that MMT functioned as a harm-reduction tool. When clients were defunded, however, drug use, crime and HIV risk increased and harm was maximized.

HIV Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Posttreatment outcomes for substance-abusing probationers mandated to residential treatment.

This article presents an initial evaluation of a community-based substance abuse treatment program for probationers described in a previous issue of the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs [27(1): 39-47]. Posttreatment outcomes for 492 probationers remanded to a six-month residential facility were assessed. Based on official state records, 9% of the probationers were rearrested in the six months following discharge from treatment. Those who graduated from the program were significantly less likely to be rearrested during the follow-up interval than were program expulsions and transfers to other programs. Also, program graduates who attended a specialized residential aftercare program were more likely to remain drug-free and be employed after treatment than were those who did not attend the specialized aftercare program. Collectively, results suggest that lower rearrest rates may be associated with the provision of residental treatment to substance-abusing probationers.

Adolescent↗