Aboriginal perspective on middle ear disease in the arid zone of Western Australia.

OBJECTIVES: To explore perceptions, knowledge and experience of otitis media (OM) and barriers to compliance with treatment among Aboriginal people of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area, Western Australia. METHODS: This qualitative applied research study is based on a holistic design. We conducted structured interviews with three community focus groups, 56 key informants, and 22 mothers of babies known to have suffered from OM. Written records of interviews were checked with participants. The three sources of data enabled comparison and verification of results. RESULTS: People were concerned about serious consequences of OM, especially deafness and learning difficulties. Since early disease may have no localizing symptoms, not surprisingly, people had limited understanding of the aetiology of OM and were often only aware of disease once ear discharge was visible. Nevertheless, they usually sought treatment for non-specific symptoms. Competing demands in people's daily lives and the unpleasant, intensive nature of treatment result in families becoming resigned to a child's chronic ear discharge. Someone other than the biological mother within the extended family may be responsible for administering treatments. Half the carers thought passive smoking may predispose children to OM and 70% suggested clearing the nasal passages to prevent OM. Results of surgery were viewed positively but specialist services were not always readily accessible. CONCLUSIONS: Since responsibility for treatment may not lie with the biological mother, awareness campaigns must target the entire community. As early OM may be asymptomatic, health personnel should be encouraged to do otoscopy on all children with non-specific symptoms.

Determination of tilmicosin residues in chicken, cattle, swine, and sheep tissues by liquid chromatography.

A method was developed and validated for determination and quantitation of tilmicosin residues in swine, cattle, and sheep edible tissues, as well as chicken fat, skin, and muscle over a concentration range of 0.025 microg/g-20 microg/g. For chicken kidney and liver, the method was validated over a range of 0.060 microg/g-20 microg/g. The tissue sample was extracted with methanol and a C18 cartridge was used for solid-phase extraction cleanup. A reversed-phase gradient liquid chromatographic method with detection at 280 nm was used to separate the tilmicosin from matrix components in 30 min run time. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the method was 0.025 microg/g for all tested tissues except chicken kidney and liver, for which the LOQ was 0.06 microg/g. Average recoveries for tissue samples ranged from 73 to 98%. Relative standard deviation values ranged from 0.6 to 14.7%.

Sex differences in adjustment correlates of locus of control dimensions.

This study investigated the hypothesis that dimensions of locus of control are differentially predictive of adjustment criteria for males and females. Two samples of undergraduates completed the Reid-Ware Three-Factor Locus of Control Scale and either the Texas Social Behavior Inventory or the Zander and Thomas version of the Barron ego strength scale. For both males and females, internals reported greater self-esteem and ego strength. However, for males, the fatalism dimension was the strongest predictor for each adjustment correlate. The social system control dimension was not predictive for males in either case. For females, the social system control dimension was predictive for each adjustment correlate, although it was not consistently the strongest predictor. The results are consistent with research on sex differences in parental antecedents of locus of control. Methodological implications of the differential predictiveness of locus of control dimensions are also addressed.