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Biomedical subjects

S A Kirk

Publications and source records attributed to S A Kirk.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects of the stable prostaglandin D2 analogue, ZK 118.182.

This study examined the pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of the stable prostaglandin (PG) D2 analogue, ZK 118.182 and the mechanism by which prostaglandins may exert their anti-inflammatory activity. Co-injected locally, ZK 118.182, like PGE2 and PGD2, dose-dependently increased plasma leakage induced by intradermal injection of bradykinin in rabbit skin. Infused i.v., ZK 118.182 (0.45 microgram/kg/min), a dose which did not affect systemic blood pressure, inhibited oedema formation in rabbit skin induced by the neutrophil-dependent agonists, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4). However, it did not modify plasma leakage induced by the neutrophil-independent mediators, bradykinin and platelet-activating factor (PAF). In contrast, neutrophil accumulation in response to LTB4 and FMLP was not affected in animals infused with ZK 118.182. In vitro, ZK 118.182, like PGE2 and PGD2 inhibited FMLP-induced superoxide anion (O2-) production by rabbit neutrophils. The compound, however, had minimal effects on O2- production induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). ZK 118.182 inhibited to a small extent FMLP but not PMA-induced neutrophil adherence. These results show that depending on the route of administration, the PGD2 analogue, ZK 118.182, exhibits either pro- or anti-inflammatory effects. The anti-inflammatory effect may be related to the ability of the compound to inhibit increased microvascular permeability induced by neutrophil activation without interfering with neutrophil accumulation. This latter effect may be due to the analogue's capacity to suppress neutrophil secretion to a greater extent than neutrophil adherence.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Practitioner involvement in clinical evaluation.

Contrary to popular belief, social workers are evaluating their practice, but what they do falls short of the use of quantitative procedures that researchers have promoted. Data obtained from a survey of social workers drawn from the National Association of Social Workers national membership list suggest that the gap between practitioners and clinical researchers may stem in part from different mindsets as well as from actual differences in the commitment to the importance of clinical evaluation. Moreover, in the minds of practitioners there appears to be a sharp distinction between formal single-subject design studies and the general evaluative tasks in which they routinely engage.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Assessing assessment in social work.

This article reviews trends in social work assessment that are likely to shape the future of clinical practice. In contrast to the rich contextual information provided by traditional psychosocial approaches to assessment, classification systems like DSM-III-R can lead to oversimplification and loss of information that is important to intervention planning. The movement toward the use of continuous, dimensional alternatives to categorical classifications will have a significant effect on clinical assessment and treatment monitoring. Technical advances and efforts to conceptualize and operationalize the contextual complexities of clients' lives will be increasingly important in the future.

Classification↗
PubMed1989

DSM-III-R: the conflict over new psychiatric diagnoses.

The inclusion of three new diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised (DSM-III-R) has generated much controversy. Many women's groups and mental health organizations objected to paraphilac rapism, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and masochistic personality disorder. Findings from a national survey of social workers' attitudes about DSM indicated that the majority of respondents did not support adoption of the proposed diagnoses, although many were undecided. The conflict has reopened the debate about the manual among mental health professionals. The opinions of social work practitioners potentially can influence whether these and other controversial diagnoses are included in the upcoming DSM-IV.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1982

Profiles of children with severe oral language disorders.

The major purpose of this study is to determine whether children assigned to classes for severe oral language handicaps in California by a multidisciplinary diagnostic team exhibit a characteristic ITPA performance profile or a number of distinct profiles. A factor analysis and a cluster analysis was made on the scores of 237 children. It was found that on the factor analysis the results showed a clear auditory-vocal factor and a visual-motor factor. All five tests in the visual-motor channel were superior to the five tests in the auditory-vocal channel. Within the auditory-vocal channel the lowest scores were in auditory association and grammatic closure. Ninety-seven percent of the oral language handicapped children had the lowest scores on these two subtests. It appears from these results that the major deficit of children assigned to severe oral language classes is a deficit in the central organization process, formerly referred to as "central aphasia, or inner language".

Child↗
PubMed1978

Uses and abuses of the ITPA.

This paper describes the circumstances leading to the development of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA) and discusses the malpractices in administration, scoring, and interpretation of the test. Certain relevant research endeavors are summarized and evaluated. These include (1) equivalence of the experimental and research editions, (2) outcomes and pitfalls of factor analysis, (3) the relationship of ITPA scores tothose of the WISC and Stanford-Binet, (4) ethnic differences shown on the ITPA, (5) differences among groups of atypical children, and (6) ITPA correlates of reading disabilities. A critique is presented regarding the misuse of the ITPA with subjects beyond the range of the norms and possible uses of the test in areas for which it was not originally intended. Emphasis is placed on the major use of the test as being a clinical indicator in determining differential abilities and disabilities (intraindividual differences) among cognitive, perceptual, and memory functions in young children.

Child↗
PubMed1978

Aftercare for alcoholics: services of community mental health centers.

Fewer than half of the patients hospitalized for alcoholism treatment received aftercare from a community mental health center, the variables significantly related to receipt of aftercare being number of previous hospitalizations and referral to the hospital by self or family rather than by a court.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Who gets aftercare? A study of patients discharged from state hospitals in Kentucky.

A cohort of 579 patients discharged from state mental hospitals in Kentucky during a one-year period was studied to determine the amount and nature of after-care services provided to them. A total of 319 received some form of attercare from community mental health centers during the two to three years after discharge. The majority received at least one service that could be classified as individual therapy or chemotherapy, about one-third received evaluation or rehabilitation services, and only a few had family interviews or group therapy. The majority of those receiving services had contact with psychiatrists, nurses, or other mental health professionals; less than half had contact with social workers or psychologists. In general the aftercare services tended to be medically oriented, brief, and limited in number. They were provided to a majority of the patients within their first month in the community.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

The sex offenses of blacks and whites.

Little is currently known about differences in the sex offenses of blacks and whites ii the 1nited states. Many major studies of sexual behavior and of sex offenders have purposely excluded data on blacks. This paper presents comparative data on 47 black and 47 white sex offenders in terms of the nature of the offense and victim characteristics. It was found that black offenders weremore likely than white offenders to engage invaginal intercourse with their victims, showed a trend to use force in their offenses, and were more likely to select adult female victims. These differences, however, appear to be due primarily to class rather than racial differences. Limitations of these dataare discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Community mental health myths and the fate of former hospitalized patients.

This paper addresses one of these important emerging problems--the fate of former hospitalized patients--and the policy issues that the problem raises. The discussion is derived from observations of the experience of the mental health system in the State of Hawaii, but the issues raised are of relevance to other states as well.

Aftercare↗
PubMed1975

The psychiatric sick role and rejection.

One of the most generally accepted assumptions among mental health professionals is that if the mentally ill were accorded the rights and obligations of the sick role, they would be less rejected by the public. This is the first study that could be found in the literature which examines whether or not this assumption is valid. The data strongly suggest that conferring the sick role on the mentally ill does not lessen rejection, but may, in some instances, increase social rejection. A possible interpretation for this striking and unexpected finding is offered.

Adult↗